The enemy within
In claiming that greenhousegas emissions continue to rise partly because of a “systematic, organised campaign by the fossil-fuel industry and its allies”, Naomi Oreskes (“Climate of deception”, December 14) diverts attention from the real guilty parties.
To see who they are, we need look no further than our rush-hour-clogged motorways. Until each of us in our fossil-fuel-powered vehicle switches to public transport or an electric vehicle, we have no hope of combating climate change.
It’s easy to blame the fossil-fuel industry or our governments, while ignoring the drastic lifestyle changes urgently required of you and me. As Pogo said, contemplating the litter-strewn Everglades in Walt Kelly’s prescient 1971 cartoon strip, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”
John Miller Crawford (Grey Lynn, Auckland)
LETTER OF THE WEEK
If, as Naomi Oreskes argues, dastardly Big Oil has attempted to subvert science and the media on climate change, then they have been singularly unsuccessful.
She cites the importance of free speech in the scientific process of debates and peer review, but how is this reconciled with the refusal by media outlets to allow opposing scientific views to be printed/broadcast?
The only freedom of speech apparently allowed on this subject is the equivalent of crying “fire” in a theatre, causing panic and fear.
David Gibbs (Beach Haven, Auckland) TRIAL TRIBULATIONS
The December 7 Editorial comments on what constitutes a fair trial, what is admissible evidence and what is open justice.
The real test of our legal system will come next year, when the alleged Christchurch mosque shooter is brought to trial.
There will be worldwide interest in this case, which must avoid being a platform for the accused gunman’s views or causing the victims to have to relive their trauma.
The justice system needs to give careful thought to the handling of this case, and show genuine concern for the rights of the victims, which should be paramount.
Leith Wallace (Karori, Wellington) TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWING
Jane Clifton writes “there’s probably no profitable railway in the world but governments still build them” ( Politics, December 14).
However, when we include the hidden costs of road transport, such as 300-plus deaths a year and hundreds more people hospitalised, and the greater fuel efficiency and lower air pollution of rail, the convenience of road transport comes at a huge cost.
Eddie Orsulich ( Tauranga) HANDY SCANDIS
I encourage the Listener to continue to provide coverage of the Nordic economic model (“Makeover for the Swedish model”, December 7) as we head to an election.
We’re trapped in an AngloAmerican economic model. We argue at the margins without taking a look at the underlying rationale/philosophy. Neither do we take a look around the world and ask ourselves which economies and education systems are producing the best results.
David Nicholson (Karori, Wellington) DEEP STATE OF SATIRE
To Alan York ( Letters, December 14), who muses that Trump may possibly be the best US president “of all time”
– mate, let me know when the drugs have worn off.
Gene Sorkin (Herne Bay, Auckland)
“Is satire dead?” asked a recent Guardian headline. No way! Just read Alan York’s brilliantly satirical letter headed “Death of the deep state” and you will see the genre is as healthy as ever.
Nigel Christian (Cambridge) BREXIT AND BEYOND
From one UK national to another, your correspondent Julian Wade ( Letters, December 14), surely the timely question is: do you support a Brexiteer candidate for Prime Minister who cannot even, in public, look at a photo demonstrating the wretched state of the British health service, a debacle for which his Government has been responsible over nine years?
Stan Jones (Hamilton)