The ties that bind

Roy Turnbull (Letters, 16 April) supports the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which wants mankind to cut greenhouse gas emissions by cranking up renewable electricity especially wind turbines.

The IPCC demands global cuts in greenhouse gas emissions of 40 to 70 per cent by 2050 and to zero by 2100.

The UK is responsible for 1.5 per cent of global emissions and Scotland 0.15 per cent.

So the key to Mr Turbull’s ­argument is not the UK but what Europe and the rest of the world are going to do. Germany is close to being CO2-free nuclear and is building coal-fired plants as ­others in Europe are doing. ­Europe is the largest importer of coal from America. China, India, Indonesia and others world-wide are opening coal-fired plants every day.

Australia is opening up huge new coal mines to join in the ­export bonanza. The climate conferences have never come up with solid agreements and the forthcoming delegates jamboree in Paris will be the same.

Eighty-six per cent of the ­participating countries have never signed any legally binding emissions reduction agreement.

The UK foolishly did and then Alex Salmond upped the anti with his boast: “Scotland has the best CO2 reduction targets in the world”.

Thanks a lot, Alex.

Clark Cross

Springfield Road

Linlithgow