Sir, – The Prince of Wales has unveiled his “Terra Carta”, a pioneering multinational agreement between some of the biggest firms in the world to put sustainability at the heart of the global post-pandemic recovery.
Fine words but what is he going to do about the 125 countries, including the main polluter China, which have failed to present new improved 2030 targets to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change by the deadline of December 31 2020.
Only 70 countries submitted plans but these 70 countries account for only 28% of world greenhouse gas emissions.
China with 30% of global emissions is building hundreds of coal-fired power plants and driving 340 million petrol/diesel cars.
It is therefore to be hoped that Prince Charles will browbeat the Chinese delegation and others into submission at COP26 in Glasgow.
Clark Cross.
Springfield Road,
Linlithgow.
Is worship essential in eye of a pandemic?
Sir, – A letter from 200 faith leaders urges the first minister to reopen places of worship on two grounds.
First, they claim to have demonstrated that such places can be made safe from Covid transmission, but they do not specify how this has been demonstrated and I do not see how it could be.
Gathering in public buildings always poses some risk, and that risk has increased since the emergence of a more contagious strain.
Second, they claim that “Christian worship is an essential public service, and especially vital to our nation in a time of crisis”.
This raises several questions.
Given that Christians believe God always to be with them in any place and situation, why must worship and prayers be performed by groups in public buildings?
Do individual and family prayers in homes have no effect?
Why is Christian worship vital to the nation?
Is it vital to the half of the nation who aren’t Christians?
Is non-Christian worship of similar national importance?
If public prayer does get restored, will congregations pray first of all for key workers, the elderly and those at high risk for medical reasons, or is there a general-purpose prayer which can cover the whole nation in one shot?
Robert Canning.
Secular Scotland,
Broughton Street, Edinburgh.
Labour’s baffling position on Brexit
Sir, – Sir Keir Starmer’s protestation that, although a bad (Brexit) deal, Labour must now accept it is baffling.
We have little choice, during the life of this government, but to claim there is now no case for rejoining the EU beggars belief. We now have lack of freedom of movement, are out of the Erasmus programme, out of the European Investment Bank, out of Euratom, Europol, Eurojust and have become a third world country overnight. Also, we now have the increasing cost and frustration of movement of goods not only between the EU but to and from Northern Ireland.
The sheer lunacy of leaving the EU was and is unsupportable.
Ian Auchterlonie.
Denoon Terrace, Dundee.
On yer bike, Boris, and keep pedalling
Sir, – So the most recognisable man in the country has been seen seven miles from his home, on a bike, in a city which is in a coronavirus crisis with cases in some areas doubling every week, at levels far higher than last year’s peak, at a time when his own government is begging people to stay at home and abide by the rules.
This is typical of the brazen, reckless behaviour of our prime minister, one law for you, another for him and his cronies.
All through this crisis he has dragged his feet, reluctant to take the serious, but possibly unpopular measures necessary to protect the population, causing huge problems for the NHS, and putting thousands of lives at risk.
His priority is always, like Trump, ‘what is best for me’.
And, like Trump, he needs to go. On yer bike, Boris!
Les Mackay.
Carmichael Gardens, Dundee.
