Wake up and smell the methane

Sir — Last week, in a speech straight from the Healy-Rae School of Codology, the authors of The Lancet report on climate change and diet, as well as other campaigners, were dismissed as “keyboard warriors, quacks and lifestyle gurus”. Just to remind your readers, the Lancet report was produced by 43 of the world’s finest scientists who have spent several years analysing the empirical evidence.

The inability or unwillingness (or indeed both) of the farming lobby, and of our politicians, to show any vision, or give any leadership on the issue of climate change is, frankly, terrifying. It is becoming increasingly clear that if this country is to come anywhere near to meeting its obligations in relation to greenhouse gas emissions, then action on the individual level may be our only hope, and the evidence suggests that this is already happening.

As more and more people adopt a plant-based diet — not just because of climate change, but for ethical and health reasons, too, the farming lobby would do well to wake up and smell the methane. Their futures, as well as the very future of the planet, may depend on it. Nuala Donlon, Lanesborough, Co Longford