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Dear Editor,

They don't get it. Climate Change cannot be appeased, or bought off through carbon trading.

We need to be making radical cuts in greenhouse gas emissions now, before rises in global temperatures of 2 or 3 degrees centigrade become probable.

The Chinese Government has balked at the thought of meaningful targets or independent verification of its emissions.

The US Government has tried to push other governments into measures it is unlikely to get through the current US Senate. The British Government paints itself 'green' on climate change. But the UK record is poor on energy efficiency so much so that 36,700 people died of the cold in the UK last winter. It is also poor on renewable energy, where only Macedonia in Europe generates less than the UK does from renewable sources.

And our Government has done nothing to ensure major cuts in emissions from surface transport, aviation or shipping.

It is hard to be optimistic when we need to radically reduce emissions in less than 6 years to avoid dangerous increases in global temperatures. So what can we all do now?

Use every opportunity to press local councils and the Government to cut emissions. Consider boycotting goods and services from the world's worst polluting countries the US and China.

Steve Dawe
Kent Green Party