Letter to the Editor: I refer to the letter from Jan Clarke, Lydney, and her reference to the 15 Green councillors elected to the Forest of Dean Council on  May 4 2023.

I have nothing against councillors from the Green or any other political party. Fifteen councillors however do not form a majority in the council of thirty-eight and the Greens will have to collaborate with other political groups to form a working Cabinet to oversee the Council’s work.

I am sure they will serve the residents of the Forest of Dean well during their term. Good luck to them.

I am however unable to understand what Jan Clarke is suggesting with reference to ‘arrogance and sense of entitlement’ of other letter writers. 

As made clear in my earlier letters, credit has to be given to the council for trying to reduce its carbon-footprint by reducing fossil fuel use in its buildings and activities. 

However dreaming that 15 Green councillors will somehow manage to eliminate fossil fuel-based energy use in the Forest of Dean and by extension to the rest of the UK is frankly bonkers. 

The UK is ranked 17th with 1.1 per cent of global emissions. China produced over 28 per cent and was responsible for almost two-thirds of the world-growth in emissions since 2000.

 What has been achieved in the UK is by cutting down manufacturing of energy intensive products an also expanding solar and wind generation. 

Greenhouse gases are still being released in countries such as China, Taiwan, Korea, India, the US and others which continue to expand their manufacturing base and export their goods to the UK and other countries around the world.

Apart from industry, the main contributors of greenhouse gases are transport and space heating. 

It is unlikely the UK will replace fossil fuel use in these areas within the foreseeable future. 

Heat Pumps are expensive and take space and will not be taken up by households in large numbers.

UK imports much of its oil and gas and will continue to do so despite noises being made by Labour and others that are promising to stop oil and gas use. 

Renewable sources such as solar, wind, and tidal are intermittent and will need back up from nuclear or other stable sources to meet demand. 

Not using domestic supplies and importing gas and oil from other countries will increase the carbon footprint.

The UK population is on the increase and consumption is related to population. 

The real questions is how far will the Greens or others go and at what cost? 

As in the Bible Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven”. Not everyone who shouts ‘Green Green’ will reduce fossil fuel use and carbon release.

Venk Shenoi, Blaisdon