Sir, Experts have forecast that the world’s population may reach 11 billion by 2100.
According to website WorldOmeters the population today is 7.123 billion and this year, so far, has grown by 34 million.
So here we have the greens and politicians insisting that we must reduce CO2 emissions whilst choosing to ignore population growth and the fact that people cause pollution.
Scotland only has 5.2 million people and 0.15% of global emissions yet Alex Salmond continues to boast that he is a world leader on emission reduction targets.
Mr Salmond consistently overturns planning department decisions and local democracy to give the go-ahead for even more wind farms. He is bankrupting Scottish companies with inflated energy prices and creating fuel poverty.
Instead of forcing through his beloved wind farms he could take a sabbatical and go on a world tour handing out free contraceptives and thus reduce the unsustainable future population growth and CO2 emissions.
Then he could accurately claim to be “saving the planet”.
Clark Cross. 138 Springfield Road, Linlithgow.
We have been down this road before…
Sir, The latest proclamation by Barack Obama that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons should be treated with a massive degree of scepticism. It is little over a decade since we were sold the war in Iraq on the same sort of falsehoods.
Obama is proposing to send lethal weapons to the al-Nusra group, allegedly an al-Qaeda affiliate that the state department classes as a terrorist organisation.
The reason Obama is now proposing to arm the so-called rebels is because of the Syrian army’s recent victory at al-Qusayr. They are now poised to retake Allepo, effectively ending the rebellion.
This is not in the strategic interest of America as it would strengthen Iran. Obama is proposing to arm the people in Syria he is targeting for assassination by drones in the rest of the world.
If President Assad has used chemical weapons then the evidence should be sent to the Hague and Assad tried for war crimes. It is not a pretext for another war in the Middle East
Alan Hinnrichs. 2 Gillespie Terrace, Dundee.
Didn’t help with language skills
Sir, I could not disagree more with those who wish to force Latin on primary school pupils. I had it forced on me from the age of seven in English boarding schools, in which Latin was considered more important than an ability to read and write English, or arithmetic.
The only other language taught was French and it was taught in the same way as Latin, ie a grammar grind.
I only realised I had any ability with languages after spending several months with a family in Germany. The French which I had been taught in school was of limited value in France and that didn’t improve until I stayed with families there.
I now correspond with friends in French, German and Swedish and if others write to me in Danish or Croatian I can make out what they mean, although I have to use a dictionary to reply.
Latin did not help me with any of those languages.
However, I do believe that primary school age children should learn a little of other world languages. After the age of 60 one loses the ability to learn new languages.
Robin Ball. 27 Morgan Street, Dundee.
Take a look into the future
Sir, Before Scotland makes a decision on the issue of self-determination it would be prudent to lookfurther ahead and consider the outcome of the nextgeneral election.
The curtain-up to that is likely to produce a plot similar to the last one, with the addition of a fourth party waiting in the wings.
The final act will possibly reveal that Scotland will, again, end up with a government it did not vote for but is nevertheless committed to simply by force of numbers. In effect, powerless, except for some devolved issues, to defend against political decisions made in Westminster which go against the will of its own people.
An imaginary scenario, perhaps, but worthy of consideration when the time comes for Scotland’s voice to be heard. Will that voice be a roar or a whimper?
U Hannah. 7 Strowan Road, Comrie, Crieff.
Send him back down south
Sir, I was very annoyed to read in The Courier recently that the Naked Rambler Stephen Gough is meaning to return to Scotland.
Why on earth do we, the taxpayers, have to be lumbered with the likes of him?
I really do think he does this simply because he is an attention seeker.
It puzzles me why this man doesn’t have a job; after all, he appears to be very able-bodied and, I would presume, well able to work for a living.
If he returns then every time he is arrested he should be taken back to an English jail where he belongs.
Jane Clark. 19 Dunrossie Terrace, Montrose.