SBS Dateline | Interview with George Monbiot

The world is a much smaller place than it used to be, with countries more intricately and intimately connected than ever before.

And that, says environmentalist and author George Monbiot, is the problem; when a natural event like the eruption of Eyjafjallajvkull volcano on the remote island of Iceland is able to seize up international flight paths and wreak untold economic havoc round the world.

For many commentators, this week's volcanic chaos was an early glimpse of what the world may look like when oil runs out.

According to UK-based Monbiot, it proved evidence of a world reliant on an over-strained system - ultimately making the global financial crisis and a blast of nature's fury not too dissimilar.

So what is his answer for a simpler world? Or will nature do the job before world leaders can? Watch his interview with George Negus and also hear his take on the forthcoming UK elections and the rise of Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg.

Click here for an extended version of the interview and watch Sophie McNeill's look at this year's UK election campaign.

SBS's World News Australia has full coverage of the flight problems caused by the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland and the UK elections.

There's also a photo gallery of images from the eruption and the travel chaos that followed.

Photos: AAP/Getty/George Monbiot