Sir, – If the energy transition is to succeed and avoid the much-feared collapse the coal mining communities suffered, then it must start with telling the truth and being honest with ourselves about the challenge.
Tim Eggar’s piece (Press and Journal, October 19) fails to do that.
Mr Eggar makes it sound like the industry has a plan for reaching net-zero.
It does not.
Neither is the industry committed to reducing emissions by half by 2030. It is merely talking about electrifying its platforms to reduce the emissions of producing fossil fuels. It is washing its hands of the consumption emissions that occur from burning these fuels, which make up the vast majority of the emissions.
This is morally incomprehensible when you consider that our tiny nation has created almost 5% of all global carbon dioxide emissions since the start of the Industrial Revolution.
Meanwhile, we see devastating floods in Pakistan, India and Europe, which are killing thousands and leaving millions homeless. We should be ashamed of such inadequate accountability.
The closest thing the industry has to a plan for transition is the OEUK 2035 Roadmap, which maintains existing production levels until 2035. This completely opposes the Paris Agreement, the IEA recommendations and the IPCC’s dire warnings of global climate collapse.
In case you don’t know what that collapse could mean for Aberdeen – large-scale crop failure and melting polar ice caps would lead to at least 20 metres of sea level rise. The Dons’ new stadium at the beach will certainly be more expensive to build in that scenario.
The P&J has a duty to inform the public and we must tell the truth about the consequences of our actions. Many people do not engage in any meaningful way with the scientific reports from the IPCC or our own Climate Change Committee. I believe they will pay more attention to local industry voices that talk about transition.
However, almost all the industry leaders in Aberdeen will start the discussion on transition with: “We will need oil and gas for decades to come…”
We are kidding ourselves. We can, and must, as Aberdonians, do better. Where is our imagination? Where is our ambition to do the right thing?
We need a city-based forum to bring us together to discuss how to transition as fast as possible. Then we might realise the solutions that will make our city more just, more equal and more sustainable are the same solutions to the climate crisis.
I implore you to critique these arguments more carefully so we can move the discussion forward, with honesty, and transition our city as fast as the scientific evidence requires us to.
Matthew Clubb, Mackenzie Drive, Inverurie.
Dissenting voices are good politics
Sir, – It is healthy to see dissent in a political party.
This results in the reassessment of priorities and policies, and challenges what could be a mistake.
It is, therefore, worrying that the nationalists are always prepared to accept the opinions of one person who is never questioned.
Malcolm Parkin, Kinnesswood, Kinross.
We must all wake up to wind farms
Sir, – I sympathise greatly with Linda Dunk (Letters, October 21) as I would with anyone who faces a wind farm development on their doorstep. But her opinion that 250m onshore turbines are unacceptable “except in the remotest of locations with low population density” is unfortunate to say the least.
Does she think that nature does not exist in remote areas or that the people who live there are less important? That sounds like a wind farm developer talking!
No one should have to live in close proximity to a wind farm. People who live on the outskirts of our major cities don’t want them either, but that is where the highest density of turbines are located, such as in East Renfrewshire on the south side of Glasgow.
Unfortunately, it is only when communities are faced with a wind farm application that they suddenly wake up, do some research and realise it is not the good idea they thought it was. They don’t realise other areas of the country have already been fighting them for decades and they don’t care because, until then, it was always someone else’s problem.
Now it is one for the entire rural population of Scotland as suitable sites become difficult to find, resulting in more applications being submitted in previously unimaginable areas.
Those 250m turbines are now the norm not the exception, and we are all in this fight to save our country together, not just a few select parts.
Aileen Jackson, Knockglass, Uplawmoor, Renfrewshire.
Will election still be a referendum?
Sir, – All over the UK and Europe, sky-high energy and mortgage costs are forcing people to turn down the heating and slash spending.
This will curb inflation, interest rates will start to decline and, as PM, “Lucky Rishi” may be able to delay calling an election until, say, October 19 2023 – the date pencilled into Nicola Sturgeon’s diary for IndyRef2.
Let’s see if she still calls it a “de facto referendum” because, if I’m right, the improved economic situation, resurgence of Labour and cumulative effect of her detail-lite damp squib indy “papers” and ongoing incompetence will result in the SNP’s annihilation, at least in terms of their total vote share – which is what decides referendums, de facto or not.
Allan Sutherland, Willow Row, Stonehaven.
‘The Sturgeon-Johnson twins’
Sir, – The USP of the SNP is that it is different from Tory England and would create a separate Scotland that would do better (at everything) than the rest of the UK. This is a myth.
The reality is that SNP Scotland and Tory England have much in common. Above all, their leaderships are similar.
Both are, currently, based on an ideology and on a sense of manifest destiny.
Brexit and the drive for Scottish secession are the leading characteristics of this.
The leaderships of both polities know what they want and, in both cases, it is flawed.
We saw this all too clearly with Trussonomics and, before that, with the primetime Boris show. Then we were threatened with the return of Boris, which would amount to a kind of national self-immolation.
In this, I agree, unusually, with Ian Blackford.
But his own leader bears strong similarities to Boris, as her opaque and vacuous “economic plan” issued last week demonstrates.
She can tell us what she wants, in general terms, but this takes no account of what potential interlocutors or partners might require from her.
Like Boris, she has never heard of the expression “it takes two to tango”.
Both appear to think that issuing their wishes is all that is required; that their wish lists will become reality without serious opposition from their opponents.
The Sturgeon-Johnson twins would have been bad for Britain and have the potential to be disastrous for Scotland.
Jill Stephenson, Corstorphine, Edinburgh.
Jail disruptive eco-warriors
Sir, – At present, there are nine eco-demonstration groups: Affordable Energy, Extinction Rebellion, Tyre Extinguishers, Insulate Britain, Just Stop Oil, Animal Rebellion, the Fridays for Future Movement, Scientist Rebellion and Stop Climate Chaos Scotland.
Oh dear, I hope I have not missed anyone.
Without a doubt, many will belong to more than one group and demonstrate at the drop of a hat.
Those who get taxpayer-funded or council-funded benefits should have them suspended. Why should we fund their disruptive demonstrations, which are now endangering the public and have delayed ambulances? The police are now seen as babysitters and the judiciary as weak.
The law must be changed, with demonstrators who cause damage jailed for a minimum of one year.
Then the members of Animal Rebellion, who poured milk across UK shop aisles, would certainly be crying over spilt milk.
Clark Cross, Springfield Road, Linlithgow.
All indy questions will be answered
Sir, – In reply to Allan Sutherland’s letter in the P&J (October 21).
Allan picked out one thing that was answered and he got it totally wrong from Nicola Sturgeon’s paper. She answered questions from all the journalists, making sure she did not miss anyone out.
There will always be freedom of movement of people just as we have with Ireland. She said yes there would be checks on goods.
At the moment, we have 27 borders. Once independent, we could immediately join the free market exporting direct to Europe, leaving England and the UK isolated.
I don’t think it would be long before Westminster would be seeking a free trade deal. Problem solved, no trade borders.
If that is the only thing the unionists have to attack us with, from that extensive, informative paper, then independence will be a walk in the park.
More papers are to follow, full of details for an independent Scotland. I’m sure Ms Sturgeon will answer all the questions as she did this time.
Herbert Petrie, Parkhill, Dyce.
Curiosity over communication
Sir, – What are the consequences of the loss of Shetland’s communication connection to air traffic control at Sunburgh Airport had HIAL’s remote ATC project gone ahead?
David M Edes, Brudes Hill, Inverness.
Careful what you wish for!
Sir, – Predictably, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wasted no time in sticking the knife into our hapless ex-PM Liz Truss and demanding an early general election.
I reckon Nicola should be careful what she wishes for. An election campaign would see her opponents focus on her new economic blueprint for an independent Scotland, the consequences of which would make our current financial predicament look like losing a £2 coin down the back of the sofa.
In 2014 the Yes campaign said keeping sterling in a currency union with the UK would be in Scotland’s best interests and that a separate Scottish pound – the preferred option in the new report – would mean hundreds of millions of pounds in extra costs for businesses.
With no timescale on how long it would take and how much it would cost to set up a new currency, the report is also vague on our journey to joining the EU, overcoming a hard trade barrier with England, rates of taxation and creation of a central bank.
Considering the SNP have had eight years to come up with an improved economic prospectus for an independent Scotland, it’s shameful that this load of mince is the best they can offer.
Jonathan Mitchell.
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