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6 hours ago
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In his review of the play Kyoto (“The Kyoto climate treaty is hailed on stage, but reality tells a different story”, Focus), Robin McKie rightly points out that the world is failing dismally to effectively get a grip on the climate crisis.
Richer countries that were part of the Kyoto bloc – mostly European nations – put in place extensive policies to implement the treaty’s legally binding targets: the UK’s 2008 Climate Change Act, widely emulated across the world, is one example. Climate laws multiplied after 1997. All countries with targets met them, renewables spread much more quickly than expected, and emissions in the Kyoto bloc fell by over 20%, at least partly because of these policies.
The real blame for the treaty’s eventual demise and relentlessly rising emissions today lies with fossil fuel/extreme libertarian interests and their deep-pocketed lobbying and misinformation, which led to US withdrawal and therefore a much weaker global response.
The play amply demonstrates this through its anti-hero lobbyist Don Pearlman, funded by the oil majors (and in real life, also coal and other industries). Since the 1990s, powerful vested interests have sought to obstruct robust climate policies. They engineered the demise of the Kyoto protocol, and continue to sabotage the strong climate action the world needs today.
Dr Joanna Depledge
Cambridge
Taking babies from mothers
Thank you for highlighting the appalling experiences of mothers whose babies are removed from their care shortly after birth (“ ‘I can’t sleep, I’m terrified’: the rise in mothers having their babies taken away within days of giving birth in England”, Investigation). These women are often the most judged, and their needs not understood by services. The article suggested that a psychotic episode is a possible reason for emergency child removal, but mother and baby units (MBUs) exist in many parts of the country that enable women experiencing mental health crises during pregnancy and in the two years after birth to access treatment, while also supporting the relationship between mother and infant. Crucially, these units ensure mum and baby are kept together.
Women who have had their babies removed through care proceedings are at high risk of developing perinatal mental health issues and dying by suicide. Systemic change is urgently needed to ensure that the mental health of this vulnerable group is understood. The inhumane practices described in your article not only compound trauma but risk perpetuating cycles of loss and harm.
Luciana Berger, chair, Maternal Mental Health Alliance, London E16
Starry, starry night…
It was lovely to read Jeanette Winterson and others on the joys of winter (“Winter wonder: Jeanette Winterson and others reveal why the cold has them under its spell”, Magazine). Every year, I look forward to winter so I can return to my astrophotography. The darker the better and usually the colder the better because that means clear skies, a sky that appears rock solid, full of stars that barely twinkle.
As night approaches, the heavy equipment is transferred to the back garden. With guide camera glued to a guide star conducting this celestial orchestra, the data collection begins. Faint light is absorbed from 50m light years away to my garden. I awake as the scope sleeps in the morning light, holding its precious cargo of hydrogen and oxygen wisps and swirls. Let summer sunshine wait for now.
Mike Anderson
Lymm, Cheshire
Airport expansion a disaster
The combination of Labour promoting airport expansion and voting down the climate and nature bill is a disaster (“Labour risks ‘powder keg’ clash over environment as it puts growth before green agenda”, News).
Reeves must have reached panic stations to claim that economic growth, helped by airport expansion, is more important than net zero. Everyone in government knows that if net zero targets are missed the planet becomes uninhabitable sooner rather than later.
Given the importance of growth and housebuilding, why is the government not promoting the manufacture of wind turbines, solar panels and all the components needed for green building that currently have to be imported from the EU or elsewhere? It might be possible to combine growth with housebuilding at the same time as working towards net zero and rescuing life on the planet as we know it.
David Hayhow
Chew Magna, Somerset
How can Rachel Reeves propose expansion of Heathrow, while maintaining a commitment to sustainability? (“In her pursuit of growth, Rachel Reeves must go green and go local”, Editorial) The idea is laughable that “sustainable airline fuel” is in any way better than conventional fuel at bringing down the environmental level of CO2.
Much more beneficial would be an increased tax on the use of private jets landing or taking off in the UK, and investing it in improved public transport. That would definitely encourage growth and lower CO2 emissions.
Bill Spears
Tutzing, Germany
Cleave to Europe, not Trump
At last, someone senior in the government, chancellor Rachel Reeves, has admitted that Brexit was a serious mistake and how much it has damaged the UK and business (“ ‘Move closer to Europe – not Trump’, voters tell Starmer in major UK poll”, News).
Why has it taken so long for the government to realise and admit the stupidity of what the last government started on lies? No wonder this country is in the black hole that it finds itself. Britain should certainly draw closer into the arms of Europe rather than to what is a timebomb waiting to go off in the US.
Mimia Umney-Gray
Dorchester-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
Limiting the power of money
Clearly it is time for change when a majority of even Conservative voters believe that the rich have too much political influence (“Nearly two-thirds of Britons say very rich have too much influence on politics”, News).
The solution is state funding of political parties, distributed in proportion to the number of votes received at the previous general election, together with a very strict limit on the size of donations that people can give on top of that. To be a truly grownup democracy, we also need to introduce proportional representation, ideally in the form of multi-member constituencies. These are roughly proportional, they keep a constituency link and they mean that the vast majority of voters will have at least one local MP, with whose views they are in sympathy.
Richard Mountford
Hildenborough, Kent
Seeing with Melania’s eyes
Dear Catherine Bennett, I love your wonderfully delicious and satirical article (“ ‘You want to see my eyes, you pay extra.’ The Secret Diary of Melania Trump”, Comment). It almost makes Trump’s second coming bearable. I beg you, more, more, more…
Barry Thompson
Torquay, Victoria, Australia
Can we have an easy one?
Come on Laura Cumming, give us a chance with a cropped Haywain, Sunflowers or Kiss (“Guess the painting”, New Review, print only). Maybe then we could all feel a sense of achievement.
David Prothero
Harlington, Bedfordshire
