World has to stop using fossil fuels

Sir, – Clark Cross today (May 26) misconstrues a number of issues. Nobody at any time has said there is no more oxygen in the atmosphere.

What is obvious however is that since the CO2 levels are increasing (fact) and the result of burning carbon-based fuels takes oxygen from the atmosphere, then as well as an increase in CO2 there has to be a corresponding reduction in O2.

If current trees, peat, oceans and so on are not taking in the extra CO2 and not therefore releasing oxygen, the result is a reduction in oxygen in the atmosphere. Note: “reduction” not “elimination”.

This is also a factor affecting flying insects as the decline in size and quantity is related to the oxygen content of what we all breathe.

Far from his assertion that the “climate disciples” never consider global population it is probably the most significant factor, and the principal problem is that in the pursuit of economic growth we expect the world population to consume more goods, with ever-increasing population numbers being both labour and customer.

It is not the fact that we as a species generate waste products (all species do) it is the exponential rate at which we produce and consume which is out of step with what the world is able to support and maintain.

Since rapid population reduction is an unpalatable option, though an inevitable eventual consequence of doing nothing, the only thing we can do is reduce our energy dependency on fossilised carbon.

It is easy to write change advocates as doom-mongers but there is a significant correlation between CO2 levels, population levels, energy consumption, global temperatures and, more obviously since the end of the Second World War, with population, industrialisation and the development of stratospheric air travel.

There may have been greater temperature swings aeons ago but nothing on the scale of what we are observing since modern human beings stopped being hunter gatherers only a few thousand years ago. Human society was not around when CO2 levels were similar to now.

And, not least, we all have to bear in mind that sooner or later fossil fuels will no longer be available anyway.

Nick Cole, Balmacron Farmhouse, Meigle.