Concept of flatulence-free cattle to save planet is nothing but a load of hot air

I like Lesley Riddoch’s idea (Perspective, 3 September) of flatulence-free cattle to save the planet! In a similar vein, in a 2015 letter, I showed that the breathing alone of the estimated 2 billion increase in world population by 2050 would, every year, wipe out ten times over any total reduction in CO2 emissions that Scotland could possibly make by then.

On a more serious note, there lies the real reason for pollution of every kind – more and more people wanting more and more. Unless we can very quickly both change our habits and reach a position of zero population growth all other measures are hardly worthwhile. This, of course, has received no great attention – there is no political capital to be won and no lucrative research and energy generation contracts.

A MCCORMICK

Kirkland Road, Terregles, Dumfries

Lesley Riddoch is right when she says that for the Scottish Government to have the most ambitious climate change targets in the world, it must tackle structural issues. Its problem is that big policy U-turns would be needed. France can only meet its target of zero emissions by 2050 because of its commitment to nuclear power. Breeding lower methane-emitting cows and sheep and altering the microbes in their rumens as part of that process will need GM technology.

To start with, it would be good to hear about plans to electrify the railways north of the Central Belt anytime soon. HUGH PENNINGTON Carlton Place, Aberdeen

In her “How green are we prepared to be?” article Lesley Riddoch points out that Scottish Labour and the Scottish Greens are calling for net zero emissions by 2050 in the proposed Climate Change Bill, not the proposed 90 per cent.

She suggests we need new breeds of cows and sheep which emit less methane. Reality check. India has 305 million cattle, Brazil 232m, China 100m... there are 1 billion cattle in the world and Scotland has a miniscule 1.8 million.

Her scare stories encompass food prices rising, melting ice shifting the Gulf Stream, global wild fires and a heatwave killing dozens in Japan. I am surprised she did not include Brexit. Despite millions being thrown at it, carbon capture and storage is a white elephant.

Australia’s new energy minister, Angus Taylor, has made it clear he is not remotely interested in reducing Australia’s carbon emissions and his priority is to end all wind farm and solar subsidies and use Australia’s vast coal reserves to provide cheap reliable electricity.

No European country is achieving their promised emissions reduction targets. Please Lesley could you write about these “inconvenient truths”?

CLARK CROSS Springfield Road, Linlithgow

Lesley Riddoch refers to “the Gulf Stream, which guarantees Scotland’s mild climate”.

Most of Scotland’s population appears to believe that statement, but the main current in question is in fact the North Atlantic Drift.

Otherwise, we’d be colder than we are already! ALASDAIR DRYSDALE

Hailes Green, Haddington, East Lothian