Sir, – Private citizens in this country are rightly encouraged to become more proactive on climate change.
It mystifies me why this is not also evident at government level.
Imagine if every local authority and government building was fitted out with solar panels and retrofitted with insulation, helping us with our emission reduction commitments and creating employment.
As well as this, the “big five” supermarket chains and others could be given tax breaks for installing solar panels and becoming more energy efficient. – Yours, etc,
KEVIN DOWLING,
Kildare.
Sir, – Patricia O’Riordan makes an interesting observation that perhaps an EU-wide carbon tax is the way forward (October 13th). Indeed there was a concerted effort to develop such a tax in the 1990s. Who worked tirelessly to develop and promote the concept at the time? Prof John FitzGerald, now chairman of the Government’s Climate Change Advisory Council. Which member state was implacably opposed to idea? Ireland. – Yours, etc,
OISÍN COGHLAN,
Rathgar,
Dublin 6.