I was somewhat surprised to read the letter from Geoff Kirby (Dorset Echo, Monday 2nd December) suggesting that it might be better to accept that the climate will change catastrophically and spend our money preparing for it.
He is correct to say that we only contribute 1% of total CO2 emissions and cannot solve the problem by ourselves, and that the US and China together contribute 45%.
By the way at the recent Community Lecture in Dorchester Tim Smit, of Eden Project fame, was upbeat about the Chinese, saying they recognise the seriousness of the situation and have a huge programme on renewables and tree planting.
Recent analyses show that there are positive feedback effects and tipping points which may lock the earth into a rapid and irreversible change to ‘Hothouse Earth’. Such effects include melting of the polar ice sheets and thawing of permafrost.
(The changes in sea level would make the Weymouth flood barriers look rather low!)
I believe that the Extinction Rebellion Group have the right answers; we must do our best to convince the rest of the world to take action now, and that involves setting an example ourselves.
Ian Brittain
Owermoigne
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