ON THE same day Extinction Rebellion began two weeks of protest, Andrea Leadsom, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, approved four new gas-fired turbines at Drax power station against a ruling from the Planning Inspectorate. She said the planning system shouldn't make decisions on this issue.

The Inspectorate recognised the gas plants would be an improvement on the current coal plant, but concluded the proposals should be blocked because of their impact on climate change. It noted the new plants would produce as much as 75 per cent of all the emissions projected for the electricity sector, and that several other gas generation projects had been approved already..

Is the Government serious about meeting its carbon reduction targets (now set in law) and pledge to make the UK a zero-carbon economy? Actions speak louder than words. Long-term targets are meaningless without them. Should anyone be surprised large numbers of people are totally cynical about politics and are now taking to the streets?

John Nash

Kendal