I AGREE with Doctor Lambert’s sentiments (There’s no planet B - October 10).

However, relying on Dorset Council to agree with his recommendations may be just as futile as trying to get it to listen to town-dwellers.

Even if it did as he suggests, I fear my grandchildren will still be committed to living blighted and shortened lives on a planet whose diversity of species and sheer beauty will have been irrevocably trashed within a decade or two at most.

We became blinded to the dangers over time by the tactics of the oil industry which used its mega-wealth to seduce and influence governments all over the planet. As long ago as 1965, predictions of the dire future we are now heading for at great speed were being shrugged off by politicians whilst an army of climate-deniers employed by ‘Big Oil’ eased our consciences.

The benefits of switching from coal to oil were very justifiable 100 years ago and switching from coal-gas to natural gas in 1969 was far less-damaging. However, we’ve since largely ignored using the sun, wind and tides to make the entire world ‘zero carbon’ and eventually ‘negative carbon’ producing. For example, an area of solar panels the size of Wales could supply Earth’s entire energy requirements.

Come the imminent general election, we will all be transfixed by Brexit, ignoring the huge suffering in the shape of homelessness, widespread mental problems, ‘gig’ workers with no job security and a seriously depleted public health service now under increasing attack from ‘Big Pharma’.

These are all facets of the same problem; politics and political movements are being influenced by huge financial ‘donations’ from individuals and corporations with ‘vested interests’.

George Monbiot suggests that confronting politicians as our youngsters are doing in “Extinction Rebellion” may be the only effective way to get their attention, maybe calling it “Extermination Rebellion”.

Shouldn’t we put Brexit and its divisive toxicity aside and vote with our hearts for parties more concerned with our essential needs, the climate, food, somewhere to live and some security in old age?

We’ve been neglecting these in our search for wealth and immortality.

Mike Joslin

Dorchester