Justifiable climate protest is vital

HUMAN-INDUCED climate change is the biggest threat to mankind and indeed the whole planet. Only those incapable of understanding the magnitude of the problem and those who profit from the fossil fuel industry try to claim otherwise.

I share the desperation of people who see the catastrophe of climate change unfolding and the ongoing failure of our government to take it seriously. Only today I read that the UK government is, via the Emissions Trading Scheme, literally giving oil and gas producers “get out of jail free” pollution permits estimated to be worth £10 billion.

I (unlike this government) fervently believe in the right to peaceful protest and fully support those who try to get more effective action on climate change by publicity-attracting protests.

As well as being justified, protests need to persuade. It is so hard for protesters to reach their audience that some resort to drastic action. However, this can be counterproductive and I do not support highly disruptive or potentially dangerous protest. It gives the likes of Paul Mercer and Joanne Bell, who oppose renewable energy, a brush with which to tar all activists and may thereby cloud the issue in the minds of the public at large.

We should all be concerned about the damaging impact of those loudly resisting the only solutions that can provide benefit quickly enough to limit warming to 1.5C, namely solar and wind energy.

Terry Riordan Devon