The vacuum left by religion is replaced by belief in fervent causes such as climate change

An increasingly secularised world has left a vacuum where the Christian faith had prevailed in public life.

Nigel Lawson once described the NHS as the ‘closest thing to a national religion’ but he could easily have been speaking about the religious fervour which often accompanies the topic of Climate Change.

Legislation proposed this week by Stormont will contain well-meaning but somewhat glib statements about ‘sustainable futures’ and ‘net-zero targets’.

However, the UK’s contribution to global carbon emissions is estimated to be 1-2%, of which Northern Ireland is just a fraction, a fact which is often omitted.

This planet has experienced intense periods of climatic change in the past. Will there be any acknowledgement that a target of net-zero carbon emissions, puts us at an economic disadvantage, compared to countries in the Far-East who adopt a carbon intensive approach?

Will there be any acknowledgement that climate change occurs naturally and not only by human activity?

Punitive tax measures and burdensome regulations will cripple our industry and renewable energy sources will fail to provide an adequate substitute.

The climate change zealots will denounce their opponents as ‘deniers’, with just the mildest form of scepticism viewed as heresy.

Meanwhile, the climate will continue to change as we impose upon ourselves, unnecessarily, a reduced standard of living.

Adrian Lonergan, Belfast BT7

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