Time to scrap climate act

Sir, - James Thornton, chief executive of environmental law firm ClientEarth, has challenged climate change and industry minister Nick Hurd over delays in publishing a new emissions reduction plan.

He said: “Government is long overdue to bring forward an ambitious plan that will close the persistent and unlawful gap between legallybinding carbon budgets and current plans.”

He has threatened legal action and demanded that the energy secretary explains how the Government will fulfil the legal obligations of the Climate Change Act 2008.

The Government should point out that the UK and Scotland are the only countries in the world with legally-binding climate change acts, that the UK is insignificant with 1.3% of emissions, and that other countries only made nonbinding promises in Paris.

Since the Paris Accord, America has cancelled its promises and US states will be freed from having to reduce emissions.

China promised it might reduce emissions but only after 2030.

The solution to ClientEarth’s threats is simple for Mr Hurd to abolish the economically destructive climate act and thank Mr Thornton for bringing this green foolishness to his attention. Problem solved. Clark Cross. 138 Springfield Road, Linlithgow.

The move to a Sunday morning collection appears to be poorly thought through and it may take a rise in malicious fire incidents to prove the point