Today I visited the COP26 event in Glasgow (Letters, 20 November), which was yet another disappointment. The assurances that governments of all the countries would come together on 20 November were not only understandable, they were expected. But, then the action to produce the Paris agreement was already established in 2015 (when Chancellor Corbyn was waiting to take over the premiership). To plan and implement it is key. In this case, of course, the EU, US, Canada, Japan, China, Brazil, Australia, South Africa, Argentina, and New Zealand were more or less on board, when they were supposed to be getting at least 13 further countries with a joint total of 141, and nine dozen countries from non-permanent seats.
Now, with two days left of the UNFCCC meeting, this remains very much a negotiation. These years have shown that events are affected by longer and longer time horizons; how on earth will we be ready for COP27? And then, in 2020, for the final Paris agreement to be agreed, we’ll need to have a COP28.
Steve Smith
St Austell, Cornwall
• Caroline Lucas (Letters, 22 November) refers to the ban of single-use plastic and writes that it is also “to be found all over the country – campaign posters, green bins, newspapers, shower curtain, training tools and cushions”.
She is right but she is somewhat misleading when she claims the ban is “something we can celebrate”. The removal of paperbacks, magazines and newspaper and their replacement with secondhand paperbacks, magazines and newspapers is something we can only celebrate if we win that battle – and I am sure we will.
Donald Frelen
Huddersfield
• Caroline Lucas correctly argues that the waste generated by plastic and other environmental burdens are not solely caused by the US (US wreaks havoc on environment, 20 November).
She may also note that the US seems more willing to co-operate than ever with its home country’s “heavy hitters”, whereas the UK has been more hostile to collaboration.
John Stapleford
London
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