Having enough money to cover all one’s expenses is “living within your means”. Individuals and countries should apply similar principles to the whole range of their activities..
Scotland has an aging population but not have enough young people to look after the elderly, the tourists who visit, nor to harvest its fruit and vegetables. The population is more or less static but a shortage of workers means it relies on temporary workers from abroad. To eliminate this reliance it is necessary to change our expectations, to live within our means in the widest sense.
Climate change is a considered the most serious threat to the world and the main cause is the burning of fossil fuels. A number of words and phrases are being used in misleading ways such as bioenergy, carbon capture, carbon credits, green energy, greenhouse gas, net zero, rewilding and green washing.
World population is increasing by 0.9 per cent per year. This is rarely mentioned and is the biggest threat to a world living within its means. People expect their living standards to rise but this should come from increasing efficiency and not from increasing the plunder of the earth’s natural resources, nor by increasing pollution. Some of our leaders, such as Tony Blair, Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Prince William set a bad example by having more than two children.
How will Scotland’s massive investment in peat restoration, wind turbines and solar panels etc aid the stabilisation of the world’s population?
Graham Tuley, Inverness
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