We are wasting money on climate change and no closer to resolution

The two climate-change camps must try to understand each other.

The amount of money spent on climate change is in the trillions of dollars with little or no reduction in greenhouse gases. We are continually told that more money is required but renewables and battery technology are decades away from replacing fossil-fuel power generation.

Fear mongering will not help nor will talk of taking people to court. A new approach is needed, more conciliatory and less I’m right and you’re an idiot for not believing me because this just leads to more arguments and no resolution. Money is being wasted as an astronomical rate.

Don Spence, Ashmore, Qld

Russell Waugh (Letters, 6/12) says “we can reverse or slow down … climate change by using less fossil fuel”. An article in the latest issue of Imperial Engineer (from Imperial College, London, one of the world’s pre-eminent colleges of science and technology) says “geothermal heat released through terrestrial and submarine volcanic eruptions is an underestimated cause of natural climate variability” and was responsible for climate changes “including the 2014-16 El Nino-Southern Oscillation and Arctic sea-ice variability during the past decade”.

So, the science is not settled. Until it is, I suggest we should not take actions that will destroy our economy and way of life. In the meantime, we could start using nuclear power instead of fossil fuel, just to be on the safe side.

Don Higson, Paddington, NSW

Teaching travesty

What a travesty our education system is becoming. Despite the fertile unscientific mindsets of some, including many teachers, the science on the cause of climate change is far from settled, particularly on humans being the problem. Climate has always fluctuated and will continue to do so.

By all means let the adults debate this sensibly. Admittedly, it is hard to find a believer who is able to see beyond the extremist propaganda, but to pretend that it is the role of the teacher to brainwash children with their version of the issue, and then further pretend that this is a grassroots uprising by the children, is a disgrace to the profession — and a disservice to those children. How presumptuous, how sad that much teaching has come to this.

Gary Smitham, Kellyville, NSW

Religious exemption

There is no earthly reason (“Time to get real as parliament deadlocked on religious freedom”, 6/12), why religious views should be accorded some special exemption in law. At their most fundamental, beliefs — even ancient or supernatural — are but personal opinions, no more or less valid than any other personal opinions.

But if we had a proper respect for freedom of speech — instead of enacting anti-discrimination legislation extending all the way down to hurt feelings — we would have no need to seek such religious exemptions anyway.

Marcus Aylward, Brighton, Vic

Horrendous in the NT

As a Northern Territory midwife, I concur with the sentiments of Jacinta Nampijinpa Price on the need for dramatic cultural change (“A culture left behind”, 1/12).

The levels of physical and sexual violence among indigenous women in the NT are horrendous.

I have been fortunate enough to learn about many of the aspects of Aboriginal culture that make it strong.

But I also bear witness, on a daily basis, to the irreversible damage of inter-generational domestic violence. Until you have cared for 14-year-old girls experiencing their first pregnancy, consider that perhaps not all of today’s issues can be solely pinpointed back to that day in 1788.

Bridie Bourgeat, Katherine, NT