IN RESPONSE to the letter from Geoffrey Richards (Wiltshire Times, July 8, UK is minor emitter) I would like to make three points.

Firstly, the UK may emit considerably less than China or India overall but we are still ahead of them per capita (India 1.64 tonnes, China 6.18, UK 7.96, China only being this high because we have exported so much of our manufacturing to them) and historically we have put far more CO2 into the atmosphere. So it is only fair that we should make all effort to control our emissions now. It is simply not true that (as was implied in the letter) China and India are not taking steps to reduce their emissions, indeed last year China was the world’s largest investor in renewable energy and both China and India signed up to ambitious CO2 reduction targets at COP 21 in Paris.

Secondly, reducing CO2 emisssions and investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency are things that are good to do in themselves, apart from tackling climate change. As our new prime minister Theresa May said in 2008: “To stay reliant on fossil fuels would mean tying ourselves to increasingly unstable supplies, which could endanger our energy security and the Climate Change and Energy Bills mark an important step for both the health of our economy and the health of our nation.”

Some other examples of the beneficial effects of actions to reduce emissions – a switch to electric cars would mean a healthier environment in our towns, we will not suffer as many floods, droughts and other effects of unpredictable weather, our houses will be better insulated so not so cold and damp, public transport will improve and there will be less rubbish and what there is will be made use of by recycling or turning into energy.

Perhaps my last point is the most important of all. It simply is not a question of either/or – us or China, us or India. The climate does not recognise boundaries, we all have to work together and if each does their bit we really can succeed.

As Ghandi said: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

It is a matter of justice. The UK has become one of the rich nations through industrialisation but other much poorer countries who emit almost nothing are the ones suffering badly already from the impacts of climate change. I am proud that the UK is taking a lead and hope to see even more done. The UK Climate Change committee has just warned of the cascade of risks to the UK that will come from climate change. Every country needs to play its part and that includes us.

Rowena Quantrill, Newtown, Bradford on Avon