Fantasy Island

Dr Richard Dixon's waspish condemnation of the Scottish Government's report on their latest of multiple failures outlines a typical ruinous costly utopian green dream for a nation that is responsible for a miniscule 0.13 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

I am all for sustainability and protection of our environment but a glance at the front cover of this report says it all. Connecting every facet of life with an imaginary electric cable are cartoon-like images of forests, wind turbines, electric vehicles, solar panels, retro-fitted buildings, cyclists, pedestrians and recycling, ending with an idyllic portrayal of a rural landscape complete with a methane emitting cow, probably on a special low emissions diet and a farm tractor presumably powered by diesel.

There are no proper costings for this pie-in-the-sky pipe dream or even passing references to the many hidden, negative environmental impacts of such policies. Can anyone in Government seriously believe that what they call “leading by example” is going to have any meaningful impact on the aspirations of the vast populations in the likes of India and China? Come to think of it, that front cover depiction of a green Shangri La would make a wonderful Christmas card for adherents to the likes of Extinction Rebellion and Insulate Britain.

NEIL J BRYCE Kelso, Scottish Borders