Picture this: You’re on a flight from London to New York. The pilots have a clear destination, but they spend most of the journey off course. Winds push the plane sideways, turbulence forces adjustments, air traffic control redirects them. Yet, despite all this, the plane still lands where it’s meant to – New York. The pilots have been constantly making small corrections.

That’s how progress works. That’s how we should work.

Politics, policies and leadership change like shifting winds. One government signs a climate accord, the next pulls out. One enforces environmental protections, the next strips them away. It’s frustrating; it keeps us guessing. But if we let every political shift blow us off course without recalibrating our direction of travel, we’ll never reach our destination.

The key isn’t avoiding turbulence – that’s impossible. It’s staying focused on where we’re headed and correcting course when we get blown off track.

So, how do we do that?

Hold the long-term vision – Sustainability can’t be dictated by election cycles. Businesses, communities and individuals must commit to change beyond the shifting tides of politics. This too shall pass.

Follow the science, not the spin – The planet doesn’t care who’s in office. The facts remain the same, no matter who’s behind the microphone. Ignore the noise.

Invest in lasting change – Ethical business decisions, sustainable investments and consumer choices matter. If people demand sustainability, businesses and industries will follow – regardless of political distractions.

Call out the real issues – We waste time debating paper vs plastic straws. At the same time, industries dump millions of tonnes of waste into the environment. Focus on the systemic change that actually moves the needle.

Expect turbulence – in fact, plan for it – but stay the course. Just like a flight, we will be pushed off track. Policies will change, priorities will shift, but what matters is that we adjust and keep going. A flight that is one degree off course at the start can stray far from its intended destination. It can end up hundreds of miles away. The same is true for sustainability – if we allow short-term distractions to pull us away, where will we end up?

Here’s what we do know:

Politics will always shift.

The climate will keep changing.

The planet won’t wait for us to figure it out.

The question is whether we will be the pilots who navigate the storm. Will we land safely, or will we let the political winds decide our fate?

What will you do now that you know?

Simon

PS: Not all turbulence is minor. Some political decisions create storms so severe that staying on course could be reckless. In those moments, the wisest move might not be pressing ahead but reassessing the route. The key is knowing the difference: Is this just headwind, or has the whole landscape changed? If it’s the latter, adaptability – not stubbornness – becomes the best way forward. Stay focused, stay flexible, and always keep the true destination in mind.