Without fossil fuel there wouldn’t be a prosperous West

As Chris Uhlmann writes, you cannot ignore the economic effects of any changes to energy sources (“How young climate change activists are living a lie”, 7-8/6). Our entire Western lifestyle is built on fossil fuels. Boats and trucks transport goods, planes allow tourism, and cars, buses and trains get us to and from work, hobbies and family matters, such as schooling. Coal, oil and gas power industry and keep us warm in winter and cool in summer.

Electricity is fundamental to communication. Fertilisers allow us to be fed. Hospitals and medical care keep us alive. The list of benefits – and how fossil fuels are intertwined in our lives – is endless. Take all this away, as the climate zealots advocate, and our economies collapse. Unemployment skyrockets. Social problems multiply. While we all want a cleaner planet, denying us future use of fossil fuels is not the answer.

Ian Morison, Forrest, ACT

Chris Uhlmann rightly exposes the hypocrisy of those who attack fossil fuels while ignoring the real issue: demand, not supply. Many believe that restricting local fossil fuel development will reduce emissions, but this ignores the reality that demand still will be met, just through imports. Europe is a clear example: it blocked local gas development, became reliant on Russian gas and now turns to US shale and Qatari LNG.

Similarly, NSW and Victoria oppose local gas projects yet import gas from other states and are now building LNG import terminals. Imported gas has a higher carbon footprint than locally produced gas. Australia is a major gas exporter with strong environmental standards. If we stop exporting, other suppliers, possibly with lower standards, will simply fill the gap.

Don McMillan, Paddington, Qld

For years I have half-joked that some people think their electricity comes out of the switch and water from the tap, but having read Chris Uhlmann’s outline of activist hypocrisy I realise things are a good deal worse. Many have no idea how our ancestors lived, with no law and order or regular food and shelter, that until modern times most people were still wretchedly poor and often oppressed, and that only with the widespread use of fossil fuels and applied science has the modern world emerged. But today too few see reason to celebrate the past and believe they can continually attack the modern world without losing its many benefits.

Doug Hurst, Chapman, ACT

Chris Uhlmann highlights the extreme hypocrisy permeating society as younger generations consistently tell us fossil fuels we use for energy are destroying the planet. More and more young people are becoming obsessed by the need for renewables to power our homes, industry and anything else that requires power. Those demonising fossil fuels don’t seem to understand that without fossil fuels not only would the industrial revolution never have transpired, we would all be wandering around naked, cold and hungry.

It’s time people stepped outside their cocoons and understood that absolutely everything we do in life has been affected in some way by energy – energy created by fossil fuels.

John George, Terrigal, NSW

Chris Uhlmann makes telling points about the hypocritical opponents of gas, coal and oil. I fit his description and have gained huge benefits from the old energy sources. But the hypocrisy is not about young people (or old folk like me) being ideological.

It’s about the science, including the need to reduce damaging carbon emissions, just like we stopped dangerous asbestos products in the building industry. Knowing the growing problems of the very real climate crisis and not doing enough about it is certainly hypocritical.

John Hughes, Mentone, Vic

Chris Uhlmann succinctly identifies the hypocrisy of those who lap up the convenience and luxury of fossil-fuel induced energy yet fiercely condemn its use.

Many who live according to this mantra are from the younger generations who have been sold a pup by activists and misguided politicians.

A perfect example of misguided politicians are the members of the Victorian government who are overseeing the construction of gas import terminals when we have enough gas below us to meet all of our energy needs for at least the next century.

Peter Surkitt, Sandringham, Vic