Reopening Yorkshire coal mines is knee-jerk reaction to cost of living and energy crisis – Yorkshire Post Letters

IN reply to Rodger Watkinson’s letter (The Yorkshire Post, March 18), yes, we should put the people of the UK first, but how exactly will opening up coal mines do that?

Shall we just ignore the climate crisis, which coal makes worse, and accept the consequences – flooding, extreme weather, wildfires, colossal damage to property and sharply rising death rates?

Yes, we should not be relying on Russia for supplies, but please get it in perspective – we only depend on Russia for five per cent of our supplies. We could reduce energy demand by five per cent and cut out Russia completely. 

This is not an either/or situation – we have to deal with Russia, energy policy and climate all at the same time, and come to solutions which deliver on all three, not one at the expense of the others. We have to think this stuff through, not go with knee-jerk reactions.

From: Justin Beament, Down St Mary, Devon.

COP26 has barely been over for five months, and although many of the really important decisions have not been fully resolved, most of the initiatives to keep the increase in world temperature to 1.5C have been agreed.

It is absolutely vital that these targets are met on or before their deadlines. For your grandchildren and the planets sakes these must be adhered to and if possible brought forward.

However we are starting to hear dissenting voices trying to undermine these vital targets. Fracking, at least in the UK, has finally been put to bed and should stay there.

I had a heat pump fitted in my 200-year-old cottage 18 months ago. It was one of the best decisions I have made. It maintains a constant temperature of 20C, is quiet and the running costs are considerably lower than that of my previous oil heating. It must be correctly fitted by an accredited fitter.

Renewable energy heating with proper insulation plays a major part in combating the climate crisis. It requires support by the Government if their energy programme is sincere. Anything less will just allow global warming to get worse, as well as leaving us vulnerable to energy insecurity.

From: Ann Hodgson, Spennithorne, Leyburn.

THE generosity of the British people in supporting Ukrainian refugees is remarkable, offering displaced people accommodation, many in their own homes, supporting appeals from NGOs such as the Disaster Emergency Committee, Unicef etc, giving essentials; food, clothes, medical supplies, nappies and, most importantly, friendship.

This generosity will surely help these desperate people as they struggle to face the coming months and years. They need all the help we can give them.

But please, British public, do not forget the plight of millions of people in countries like war-torn Yemen and Taliban-controlled Afghanistan who are starving but rarely in the news.

We must support them too through voluntary agencies like Save the Children and Medecins Sans Frontieres. They have teams working to relieve the suffering of these people, particularly children. They cannot cover all needs, but a donation for these countries as well as Ukraine would help to expand their desperately needed work.

From: J A King, Thurgoland, Sheffield.

I READ Pauline Allon’s letter (The Yorkshire Post, March 21) stating that Brexit has weakened Western Europe. On the contrary, I was reading that an EU Minister was praising the UK because it was swift to act on both the Covid vaccine and Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion into the Ukraine.

This has been my experience in life – the larger the organisation, the less effective they become in decision-making.

So my thanks to Brexit and for the majority of the people who cared to vote for it. As I see it, this has given the UK its credibility back and a voice again to be heard in the world.

From: M.K. O’Sullivan, Allerton Bywater, Castleford.

MASHA is a 15-year-old Ukrainian teenager, in hospital after a foot amputation. She has shrapnel injuries and unable to eat. She is a victim of Russian bombing. Her offence? Ukraine’s resistance.

When I think of the crass comment of Boris Johnson comparing Brexit to the struggle of Ukrainians, who want EU membership, I say to him to tell Masha this and tell the grieving parents of dead Ukrainian children this. Hang your head in shame, Prime Minister. And I voted Leave.

From: Paul Morley, Long Preston, Skipton.

START mining, fracking and drilling now and also invest in small scale nuclear reactors. It is not just a matter of eventual cheaper fuel but, more importantly, national security.

From: Peter Rickaby, West Park, Selby.

THOSE who criticise Boris Johnson for comparing Brexit with Ukraine’s fight for freedom are missing the point (The Yorkshire Post, March 21).

The first was “freedom” gained from a suffocating, overbearing, bureaucratic European nightmare. The second people are seeking “free” from tyranny imposed by a dictator whose aim is to suffocate any desire for “freedom”.

From: Ralph Lennard, Leeds.

IN the Second World War, the Germans rounded up Jewish people and the world did nothing. Now the Russians in Mariupol are rounding up Ukrainians and taking them to Russia and the world does nothing.

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today. Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you’ll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app, receive exclusive members-only offers and access to all premium content and columns. Click here to subscribe.