The communities secretary, Greg Clark, says “no one benefits from uncertainty caused by delays in planning decisions” (Act quickly on fracking or we will, ministers tell councils, 13 August). Quite right. Will he now have a word with his colleagues in Defra who have so far spent 23 months considering an inspector’s report on whether to extend the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales national parks? It is perhaps understandable that hard-pressed local authority planning departments struggle with fracking applications. They are hugely controversial and raise serious issues of public safety, water contamination, traffic movement and much else. It is much less clear why the government has sat on its hands on the Lakes-Dales extension, which is supported by local people and has clear economic and social benefits.
Shaun Spiers
Chief executive, Campaign to Protect Rural England
• The Canadian government’s reckless determination to promote tar sands oil (Canada’s tar sands landscape from the air – in pictures, theguardian.com, 3 August) has worldwide consequences. Tar sands development has destroyed huge swaths of Alberta’s boreal ecosystem and the health and economy of indigenous communities.
Actual and proposed transport of the sludge by pipeline across Canada and the US has instigated bitter protests, as well as controversy in US federal and state governments. One side recognises that pipelines inevitably break and spill and that tar sands oil may be an insurmountable obstacle to hopes of moderating climate change. The other side apparently sees only financial gain, in wilful disregard of everything else.
The whole world will suffer profoundly from the tar sands’ contribution to climate change. Leaving this highly polluting petroleum in the ground would hugely advance the transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy.
A price on carbon, imposed globally or implemented nation by nation, is urgently needed to help us kick the fossil habit. It is advocated by economists who have analysed several schemes and found them both feasible and economically beneficial. Policy shouldn’t stem from politics and greed, and I challenge opponents of a carbon price to offer a better plan to ensure a climate that can continue to support civilisation.
Carol Steinhart
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
