Listen: Dr Doug Edmeades - New Zealand is going back to the Dark Ages

Dr Doug Edmeades. Photo / Christine Cornege

The Government's decision to ban oil and gas exploration and to stop funding large scale irrigation has Dr Doug Edmeades concerned New Zealand is going back to the Dark Ages.

The controversial soil scientist spoke to The Country's Jamie Mackay about his recent opinion piece, saying "I never thought I'd see the end of what has been the Age of Enlightenment."

Dr Edmeades says science, technology and progress has been made possible by rational thinking and he is concerned with "negative" attitudes from environmentalists.

"I think science and rational thinking is under severe threat from this extreme environmentalist movement."

Although Dr Edmeades does not believe in global warming himself, he fails to see why people who do are anti-irrigation.

"If you believe that, then you would be a great supporter of irrigation because it would overcome the extremes of drought. So there's something irrational about these people who simply want the whole world to stop so they can leap off. I'm not sure why they want that."

Listen below: