ZERO TARGETS ARE PRIORITY

IN response to Vic Barlow’s recent article: ‘Pushing back Net Zero targets could be vote winner for Cheshire East,’ I would like to point out that ‘being carbon free’ may not be the top priority for families who are struggling with the cost of living crisis.

But that is not a justification for reneging on the commitments by governments and local authorities on their net-zero commitments.

Families struggling desperately with their budgets should not be set against the urgent need to respond to the climate emergency for political gain, as is happening at the moment.

This is abusing those families in their very real predicament.

Governments at all levels need to prioritise both. Investment in projects to meet net-zero targets could create swathes of new jobs that will boost the economy, increase the tax base and help alleviate poverty.

There is no justification for ignoring the climate emergency.

There will be short-term costs - though these would not be more than the insane amount of money still being invested in fossil fuel and coal projects.

But the costs of not reducing carbon and other deadly emissions will far outweigh the costs of that investment - not just in the long term, but more immediately.

Money must be diverted from those reckless fossil fuel and climate damaging projects into sustainable and renewable projects as a matter of urgency. It is not either/or.

I trust that the electorate is sufficiently well-informed not to be misled by the sort of self-centred thinking that characterises this article, and will make choices that will benefit them in a more sustainable future, as well as helping to alleviate some of the devastating effects of the cost of living crisis that this Government has led us into.

Laura Jones,

Clarke Lane,

Langley