Climate, Environment and Collecting: Serious Question for the CBA

In the press release about the appointment of a new Executive Director of the CBA, we are told that the new head will be overseeing preparations for

the 2020 Festival of Archaeology, which runs from 11-26 July with the theme of Climate and Environment. 

Previously the CBA has promoted collection-driven exploitation of the archaeological record as a form of "archaeology for all" (when it is NOT). I'd like to hear from any archaeologist (PAS FLOs included - there's 34 of you) who thinks that I am wrong, and that artefact hunting is archaeology to answer this question for my readers

what is the independent contribution of metal detecting to that theme? What contribution does the hunting, hoiking and collecting of loose archaeological artefacts in Britain make to our understanding of 'Climate and Environment'? And if not independently what contribution does the collecting (not our PAS-recording of bits of it) make in combination with other disciplines (such as archaeology)? How can climatology benefit from the activities of individuals like Stephen Auker, Harry Moore, Mark Becher, Kevin Anderson, Graham Chetwynd,  Ged Dodd, Steve Taylor, John Howland and all the rest? 

Serious question guys, and ladies of the PAS, sitting at home under lockdown.