People in the West have been the main contributors to Co2 levels, yet we will be the most readily able to cope with climate change.

It is, therefore, incumbent upon people in Northern Ireland to set an example and reduce our emissions of these greenhouse gases.

The fact that more and more scientific findings are increasing the certainty that climate change is caused by human activity, and that the most vulnerable countries in the world such as Somalia, Ethiopia and Rwanda, will be the least able to cope with climate change, makes the attitude of our current Environment Minister Sammy Wilson morally reprehensible.

Mr Wilson is sending out a message that the Government of Northern Ireland does not care about what happens to people in the rest of the world.

Considering the DUP’s much vaunted moral beliefs, the Environment Minister’s recent statement that he would vote against the UK Climate Change Bill is extremely regrettable, to say the least.

George Collins

Lisburn