Let’s COP real climate action

■ What we have learned since the pandemic began in March 2020 is how well people have adapted and how successful virtual communication has become. With this in mind, why are so many delegates from so many countries descending on Glasgow for a conference on tackling climate change? Surely, this could all have been done virtually?

There’s no need for people to fly in from all over the world, or for all the cars, security and expense it involves. Not only that, but the inconvenience to locals with road closures which may well cause them to drive further, thereby increasing their carbon footprint. Like the G7 in Cornwall last June, it’s just another jolly and an expensive one – not only in monetary terms but for the environment too.

Chris Smith, Northampton

■ COP26 will be a massive expensive talking shop for world leaders which will amount to very little. If you stop to consider that Australia has no intention of cutting back on its coal mining operations, China is still planning to open new coal-fuelled power stations, America is increasing fracking production in line with high oil prices and India is on track to become one of the world’s worst polluting countries, there’s little hope of achieving climate control targets.

COP26 is simply a worldwide gathering of leaders being seen to be doing the right thing to maintain support at home.

Dennis Grattan, Aberdeen

■ Global warming and environmental catastrophe is the issue of the current age but, actually, there have been concerns for a long time.

Back in 1973, the Daily Mirror led a brilliant campaign against the everyday scourge of pollution: “Plant a tree in ’73. Plant one more in ’74”.

Does this resonate now? Yes, of course it does. We’ve had another 48 years of increasingly dangerous pollution and environmental recklessness, it is more important than ever that those of privilege reach an agreement at COP26.

We managed to get rid of coal fires, filthy factory chimneys and cesspool rivers, so we must now adapt to the reality of climate change.

Ian Bleasby, Leeds

■ The climate emergency is all too real but I’m concerned that, with the world’s biggest carbon emitters Russia and China not being represented at a high level at COP26 in Glasgow, little will be achieved.

For the sake of our children and grandchildren’s futures, we need more than just words if catastrophe is to be avoided.

D Ellis, Plymouth

■ I wonder if anyone else is thinking, as I am, that with Covid infections running so high, the COP26 climate conference is likely to be a super spreader event?

Why couldn’t they have had a virtual summit instead? Plus, this would have saved on the carbon footprint of all those leaders travelling there by plane. M Smythe, Hastings, East Sussex

■ Boris Johnson telling us all to reduce our carbon footprint while he and Carrie travelled 1,200 miles on a private jet which pumped out 21 tons of CO2, is hypocrisy on a grand scale (Sunday Mirror, October 24). You just couldn’t make it up.

John Roberts, Carlisle, Cumbria