From David Flint, London, UK
Mary Rose criticises my belief that people should panic at the threat of a climate breakdown (Letters, 18 May). She objects to “stopgap measures”, but, in an emergency, such actions are necessary to prevent the issue worsening.
Her preferred approach – prioritising economic growth and hoping for a technological fix – is what got us here, and caused global emissions to rise by 2 per cent last year. Our problem is that governments are making neither the short nor the long-term changes that are needed. They continue to encourage coal production and new runways while cutting support for renewables and energy efficiency.
Yet we know most of what we need to change. What is lacking is the will to do it, and that can only come from strong feelings. I think panic is entirely rational.
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