Ian Lakin (Letters, June 29), suggests that the UK’s "reckless" (his description) net zero policy comes at great cost. I wonder if Mr Lakin has read the recent Confederation of British Industry's report on the "UK’s Net Zero Economy in 2025". Just in case not, here are a few highlights noted by the CBI:
1) The net zero economy sector now supports over one million full-time equivalent jobs in the UK; of these 105,000 are based in Scotland.
2) The sector generates around £105 billion in Gross Added Value.
3) It is underpinned by over 23,000 businesses, 3,000 in Scotland. The vast majority of these businesses are small or medium-sized enterprises.
4) Each £1 of economic value created by net zero generates another £1.85 across the wider UK economy.
5) 34% of the UK's energy infrastructure pipeline, worth £211 billion, is linked to Scotland.
Overall the CBI report states that net zero is "one of the UK’s most productive and geographically distributed industrial sectors" which anchors "the UK within one of the defining economic transformations of our era".
I would suggest that net zero is not a bad sector to be pre-eminent in in the second quarter of the 21st century. Far from net zero aims being reckless, I would suggest that ignoring or criticising this sector is highly reckless.
John Palfreyman, Coupar Angus.
Read more letters
- UK’s self-flagellating Net Zero policy comes at a great cost
- At last the SNP has got something right: Monklands halt is sensible
- An improved national football team? Don’t hold your breath
Hotter summers won't be fun
James Martin (Letters, June 29) criticises over-reaction to high temperatures in the UK over the past two weeks and makes comparisons with how this is dealt with in Europe and the Middle East. It should be noted that extreme temperatures in recent years have caused serious forest fires in Greece and elsewhere and led to significant health problems for elderly people in particular. Weather patterns suggest that increasing hotter weather is likely to become prevalent in the UK in future.
Having lived and worked for four years in Libya when younger I can point out crucial differences in lifestyles in these countries. Buildings are constructed to remain cool with high ceilings and thick walls, with shutters to keep out the heat during the day. The working day starts early with shops and other businesses closing around midday and reopening in the evenings and virtually no outdoor activity takes place during afternoons. The days are much shorter than British summertime when the sun can beat down here for 14 or 15 hours.
Modern buildings in the Middle East are air-conditioned but being outside in temperatures of 35/45 degrees Celsius for months on end can be wearing; I can recall looking forward to seeing a few clouds. Just a few thoughts on what may be down the road.
James Graham, Clydebank.
Heatwave? Here? Really?
Roz Foyer ("Britain’s leaders are feeling the heat – quite literally", The Herald, June 29) tells us that "heatwaves are more common now". This view is one I hear each summer from commentators in Scotland when the south of England gets weeks of hot sunshine at a time, and the west of Scotland gets two or three days, if we are lucky.
I am not a climate change denier, however "taps aff" days in Glasgow seem no more frequent now than when I was at school over 50 years ago.
M Carr, Glasgow.
Radio Scotland backs new music
Repeating an accusation that BBC Radio Scotland "does nothing for young and emerging artistes" ('The music industry is already dying. This feels like a final nail in the coffin", Herald Magazine, June 27) does not make it true.
Anyone listening to Radio Scotland will hear that the station has numerous programmes which support new and emerging artistes – not occasionally, but throughout the week, every week. These include BBC Introducing on Fridays and Roddy Hart’s Mixtape at the weekends. New artists are also featured by Vic Galloway, Ricky Ross and on Up Late with Lynne Hoggan, and across the multitude of specialist music programmes too.
It is also self-evidently unfair to compare the size of Radio Scotland's audience with the UK-wide audiences of Bauer Media Audio UK and BBC Radio 4. The correct comparison would be with the audiences of other stations airing within Scotland, and by this measure Radio Scotland's performance is clearly much better than "solid". The radio industry's RAJAR listening figures show it is the most listened-to station in Scotland.
Finally, although I am currently not "an editor or music or arts lead", I can reassure readers that as a former radio presenter and editor of a number of radio programmes in Scotland, I am qualified to comment on radio schedules and decisions. What I learned during that time is that programmes need to evolve with the audience. BBC Radio Scotland may be evolving but it still clearly remains a place which offers emerging Scottish artistes a platform, and audiences a diverse mix of musical genres across its schedule. This has not changed.
Luke McCullough, Corporate Affairs Director, BBC Scotland, Edinburgh.
Why they is acceptable
Given that your correspondent Olive Bell (Letters, June 29) says she has taught English for many years, I am surprised that she seems unaware there is a precedent for a plural pronoun being used also as singular.
Today we use the same word – you – for the second person, regardless of number. At one time this wasn't the case. In Early Modern English, the singular second person was "thou" and the plural "ye", which later morphed into "you". Over time "thou" went out of fashion and "you" began to be used for both singular and plural (though "thou" does continue to exist in some dialects). This rarely causes any confusion. On the rare occasions it does, people often use words or phrases such as "all of you" (British English) or "y'all" (American English).
Indeed, the use of the singular "they" also has a long history, particularly when the gender of the person referred to is not known. The earliest known use of the singular "they" is from the 14th century. It was criticised by 18th century grammarians but it has proven so useful, its use has become ever more common.
Finally, if poet Lord Byron and novelist Jane Austen thought it okay to use the singular "they" in their work, surely only those with a particular axe to grind can object to its use.
Kevin Crowe, Wick.
A joyous journey
Having just finished reading Graeme McGarry's touching and heartfelt article ("It’s easy to be cynical about the Tartan Army – but Miami was a pure expression of pride", Herald Sport, June 30), I found myself affected deeply by his experiences, shared with his son Jack.
The difficulty in working out travel arrangements, accommodation and not least of all actually gaining access to the game were, or would have been, enough to put most people off. I'm so glad that was not the case with the intrepid duo.
What memories 15-year-old Jack will have, and the joy of having that time with his dad will live long in his heart.
Thank you both, and well done.
Brendan Keenan, Glasgow.
Going the extra miles
Peter Dryburgh (Letters, June 30) cites Andy Burnham's lack of geography knowledge by stating the UK is "roughly" 550 miles south to north. Perhaps Mr Dryburgh should get out more as my map show the distance between Durness and Portsmouth to be 703 miles. Of course, the 150 missing miles are north of Edinburgh so maybe they don't count?
Steve Paterson, Findhorn, Somewhere in Scotland.
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