Emergency action
Politicians proposing to declare a“climate em ergency” in Scotland should, before taking any action at the expense of taxpayers or consumers, consider just what practical impact any such action might have.
Danish environmentalist Bjørn Lomborg (not a climate change sceptic) used the UN/ IPCC climate model to predict the impact of commitments made in the Paris climate agreement. This shows that, if all these were honoured, then whatever temperature rise might have occurred by the end of the century would be reduced by 0.17C. The contribution of all EU commitments would be 0.053C.
Taking the UK’S 11.3 per cent share of EU emissions and commitment to an 80 per cent reduction in these, simple arithmetic shows that complete elimination of all UK emissions would produce a reduction of 0.00742C.
Scotland contributes about one tenth of UK emissions, so complete decarbonisation of Scotland would reduce the end of century temperature rise by 0.000742C, an amount I suspect would be unmeasurable by any known technique.
Scotland’ s emissions are about 0.113 per cent of the global total. China’s are nearly one quarter. I have not heard of China declaring a climate emergency.
JACK W PONTON FRENG, Emeritus professor of
engineering, Old Cottage Gardens, Earlston, Berwickshire
Climate change has become climate crisis, and Friends of the Earth say we have a climate emergency. This situation has crept up on us over the decades, star ting with the hole in the ozone layer and global warming. Quite amazing.
So the time for talk is over, and immediate action is needed if wear en otto be destroyed.
The UK emits only 1.13 per cent of global CO2, but banning fossil fuel consumption and building a few nuclear power stations will reduce that small figure even further.
While that is being done, we restrict car usage to say ten miles a week, and forbid air travel during the holiday season. To assist the big polluters such as China and India, an immediate ban on the import of their clothing and electricals should be imposed. This fine example to the world will mean that the UK has led the way in saving the planet. Surely others will follow? MALCOLM PARKIN Gamekeepers Road, Kinnesswood, Kinross