We've had U-turn on global warming: now let's have one on fuel tax, Gordon

Surprise, surprise. After months of threatening us with environmental Armageddon, scientists are now saying global warming may be put on hold for ten years. Gordon Brown's U-turn technique has even spread to the science lobby. It must be time now for people such as Al Gore and the green lobby to accept the scientific claim from eminent international experts that global warming is, indeed, part of the climate cycles that the earth has been through many times and will again.

Could it be that our listening Prime Minister and his chums at Westminster will U-turn again and park the policies of crucifying drivers by huge taxes on fuel to save the planet while hammering the UK way of life? Go on, Gordon, give us leadership by cutting fuel tax to help restore the British economy and provide further help for the citizens you attacked in the 10p tax rate Budget fiasco. Has he the courage? I very much doubt it.

IAIN J McCONNELL

Gifford

East Lothian

While I believe, like George K McMillan (Letters, 7 May), that global warming is not the result of human action, we cannot get away from the fact we must find alternative energy sources and reduce our usage of the world's natural non-renewable resources.

In 1973, if memory serves, the cost of oil rocketed and our politicians said we must never again leave ourselves at the mercy of such occurrences, nor so dependent on overseas supplies. Needless to say, nothing was done about it.

Now, we are here again and paying the price for our elected representatives' neglect. Action is needed but not wind farms – we need a planned policy where we do not take one action that leads to disaster for others through ill-conceived initiatives.

IAN ROSS

Eden Lane

Edinburgh

Bob Graham (Letters, 1 May) appears to be blissfully unaware that the energy crisis and climate change are the consequences of the consumption of the bulk of the planet's reserves of fossil fuels. These were deposited over a period of millions of years during the Carboniferous Age, but we have succeeded in converting a large proportion into carbon dioxide and water in two-and-a -half centuries.

The only way of addressing this crisis is to abandon the large-scale combustion of fossil fuels for energy production in favour of renewable sources of energy, together with abandoning the notion that human progress is identical with a Malthusian population explosion and never-ending economic expansion. Unfortunately, this perception is not acceptable either to exploitative entrepreneurs or politicians, who may know nothing about the environmental importance of the carbon cycle on which all life depends.



(DR) DAVID PURVES

Strathalmond Road

Edinburgh

Perhaps the withdrawal of Shell from the 350 wind turbine scheme in the Thames estuary and the rejection of the apocalyptic plans for Lewis may be catalysts for a reality check on wind power.

Wind turbines will do nothing to mitigate against climate change. Even the British Wind Energy Association does not attempt to refute calculations that show that, even if all Britain's renewables targets are met, the savings in global emissions will be less than 0.0004 per cent, a total which would be eclipsed in less than seven days by increases from China and India.

J MARK GIBSON

Dalmellington

Ayrshire