(Letter by local Green Hazel Agombar published in the Hampshire Chronical)

Sir,

I was appalled to read the comments from the chair of New Alresford Town Council - Ken Yeldham, in last week's Hampshire Chronicle (9th October) about the Alresford Greening Campaign. I would like to challenge Mr Yeldham's criticism that the group is 'spitting in the wind'. Firstly Alresford is far from alone. They are one of many, many grassroots group across the UK which are being established to address the issue of climate change. The combined efforts of this are enormous and help to put pressure on the UK government to pass a strong Climate Change Bill. Here just in Winchester we have groups such as Winchester Action on Climate Change (WinACC) and Friends of the Earth who are working to the same aims.

Secondly, Mr Yeldham trots out the tired arguments about the pollution created by China and India's industrialistion which are used as an excuse for the UK to do nothing. I'm afraid that Mr Yeldham has failed to grasp how interdependent the world is. It is the wealthy countries - mainly Europe and North America - that have caused the problems of global warming, and therefore have the responsibility to take the lead in finding a sustainable way forward. China and India need to develop - we should be promoting the techonologies that enable them to do so without destroying our shared life support systems. Indeed, it will be great for our economy to be at the forefront of developing low carbon technologies.

Climate change is a matter of social justice; CO2 emissions in Britain are still several times larger per head than in China. On top of this many of the goods produced in China are exported to Britain so that we can maintain our so-called standard of living. Millions of people in China - including members of the ruling group - are well aware of the problems of climate change - especially since they are already suffering from increasing number of extreme weather events. Hundreds of thousands of Chinese have died because of droughts and floods in recent years. They have scientists working on solutions and are at the forefront of the solar revolution.

Mr Yeldham also bemoans the fact that the Alresford Greening Campaign group members' time could be better spent helping elderly people with their shopping. He has failed to realise that green initiatives invariably lead to healthier more cohesive communities.

Of course no one grassroot greening campaign could possibly solve the huge challenges that climate change poses humankind - but we can (and must) all do the bit that we can do. Congratulations Alresford - more and more people are joining you. Climate change is everyone's issue.

Yours faithfully,

Mrs Hazel Agombar

Egbert Road
Hyde, Winchester