Energy policy

We are regularly force-fed the notion that we are responsible for global warming, a term that frequently morphs into climate change so will always be right whatever happens, and that the uncontrolled spread of wind farms will save us all from a man induced catastrophe. But is that true?

On one hand the thousands of turbines we have do not appear to be doing the job they were charged with as the emission results would indicate and yet the snowfall on the Scottish mountains in June would indicate they have potentially reduced global warming quite considerably.

Whichever scenario you prefer to believe, one thing is clear: we don’t need any more turbines.

Either they haven’t made an impact on emissions, in which case stop building them, or they have and June snow will mean more fuel needed to keep warm in the summer months and more …CO2 emissions.

As it is now widely known that wind turbines will not give energy security, are not economic without excessive subsidies on energy bills, not kind to the environment or wildlife or those forced to live close to them, why do the Scottish Government continue to relentlessly promote them?

A growing number of people are at a loss to understand their obsession. If you look at a wind farm at least one turbine will be raising two fingers in defiance at you – unfortunately it appears the Scottish Government is doing the same.

Lyndsey Ward

Beauly

Your report (3 June) on the Scottish Government’s failure to meet its legal obligation for greenhouse gas emissions should not come as a surprise.

Their total fixation on energy supply, which is only one component of these emissions, suggests a systemic failure in policy.

In 2012 greenhouse gases from energy supply only accounted for 17.1 Mt CO2e out of a total of 52.9 Mt CO2e while agriculture and transport produced 22.7 Mt CO2e together. However, they are meeting their other main target with ease – the pointless destruction of our wild lands with wind farms.

Alan Black

Camus Avenue

Edinburgh