Without China and India cutting emissions our efforts are futile

Paris accord is looking like expensive virtue signalling.

Your article (“Paris treaty to shrink economy”, 9/1) was timely. So far, the push to renewables has doubled costs and reduced reliability. This can only get worse with 30.4 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2030 and worse with Labor’s 50 per cent target.

And all for what? To meet obligations of a treaty that will do nothing to help the environment unless China and India agree to curb emissions instead of increasing them. And even then it might all be in vain with temperatures stubbornly refusing to rise despite increasing carbon dioxide, a recent downward temperature trend and credible forecasts for cooler times ahead from solar scientists. Paris is looking very much like extremely expensive and futile international virtue signalling.

Doug Hurst, Chapman, ACT

Any way I look at it, the Brookings report suggests Australia should stay in the Paris accord — there’s little or no economic benefit if we leave. Where is the headline “Paris treaty leads to less traffic, lower pollution and lower mortality”? I am more than happy to swap that for some economic slowing.

The obvious action for Australia is to change as hard as we can to alternative energy sources.

Sally Parnis, North Adelaide, SA

Refugee precedent

The Department of Immigration should proceed with caution, not alacrity, in offering asylum to the Saudi teenager under UNHCR protection in Bangkok (“Australia offers hope to Saudi runaway”, 9/1), A precedent may not only provide incentives for similar cases but also displace legitimate asylum-seekers waiting their turn.

The case of Asia Bibi, the Christian woman jailed in Pakistan and only recently saved from execution, is as urgent a case, and of longer standing.

The drama of the Saudi teenager tweeting her case captured the media but it should not be used to circumvent Australia’s immigration laws.

Christina Faulk, Swinger Hill, ACT

Freedom to choose

John Simpson (“One-sex schools failing students”, 9/1) overlooks freedom of choice. Australian families are the beneficiaries of a healthy education system that provides a diversity of choice. Just as no single school suits all students, no single model of schooling suits all students.

As a leader of a large Catholic boys’ boarding school, I am committed to this model of schooling. Like colleagues in co-educational schools, I cannot envisage teaching in any other model of schooling.

Peter Fullagar, principal, St Joseph’s Nudgee College, Boondall, Qld

Defence fuel essential

Your story “Red light flashing over fuel security” (7/1) should have been illustrated with jets, ships, and tanks sitting fuel-less in their bases leaving us to be invaded by the first country with a functioning military. Nothing is more important than defence fuel and we need to retain our refineries and control oil exports. Equally important is oil for farm tractors and supermarket delivery vehicles. These are not commercial decisions but a matter of national survival.

Barry E. Duff, Melbourne, Vic

Indian strength

Australia’s Test cricketers were up against a team of quite remarkable all-round strength. In their bowling they could afford to leave out Ravi Ashwin, an off-spinner with 336 test wickets, and they have a wicket-keeper who has made a first-class triple hundred.

And this talk about how the heroes of yesteryear would have batted more successfully is pure hype because you just don’t know. We bask in the glory of those who win for us, but come down like a tonne of bricks on the same people when things go wrong.

Michael Arnold, Belrose, NSW