Letters: Avoiding politically unpopular decisions is not the way to tackle the climate crisis

Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read. Scientists say heatwaves, like the one in France at the moment, will become more intense, frequent and widespread as the climate warms. Photo / AFP Time to tackle climate change It is now accepted by most people that climate change is a reality and that someone should do something about it urgently to protect the planet and all forms of life. Unfortunately, it seems there is one overriding condition that blocks any significant action in New Zealand whatever is done by the Government or other agencies, it must have no impact on the personal choices people wish to make, no matter how much their actions are contributing to the problem. Avoiding politically unpopular decisions is the reason why nothing significant is now being done to meet our Paris 2030 obligations. Per head of population, New Zealand is one of the highest emitters of greenhouse gases and our isolation means that everything transported to and from New Zealand has a very large carbon footprint. The increasing frequency and severity of climate events in New Zealand that we have seen in recent years is inevitable unless we all agree to take meaningful action. Tony Barker, Glenfield. Where is the sense of fair play? We have more people unable to pay their mortgages, more people dependent on food banks, and less sense of unity as a nation than we have ever experienced. Nicola Willis policy of cutting everything only serves to increase the number of jobless and homeless, and provides no encouragement to those seeking to expand our economy. Our Prime Minister thinks he is running a company, but he is really destroying the welfare of almost everyone in our communities. People matter more than policy and even balancing the budget! Its one thing to reduce spending, but it is another thing to leave people with nothing to spend. Come on, guys, where is the sense of vision, equality and fair play? Our nation is going nowhere fast. How about a new direction? D.R. Curtis, Silverdale. How to run NZ Inc. A lot of New Zealanders are suffering because many government services are in a mess. Government-run organisations have been restructured and some restructured again with little effect on improving their overall performance. If NZ Inc. was run by a board of directors, the shareholders would have voted the directors out long ago and replaced them with people up to doing a good job. But all we can do under the current system is to tip one lot out and replace them with others who have already proved they wont be much better. That is why trust in any Government is at a low point. It is not just how our governments are elected but also the way they and Parliament have decided to run things - their self-imposed rules. Have they made things so complicated it is very hard to control? For example, do they need to create another government department every time there is a problem? B. Anderson, Auckland. One thing Seymour did Simon Wilson filled his column (July 2) with a diatribe against David Seymour before he presumably ran out of space. In positing that Seymour hasnt achieved anything during his time in Parliament, I beg to differ. He was responsible for successfully championing the assisted-dying legislation through Parliament, for which I, for one, am grateful. Glennys Adams, Oneroa. How to solve crime Increasing penalties and fines for crime is not the answer. Neither is increasing jail time. How will authorities extract fine money from someone who has little? Many already dont pay fines for traffic offences, and extending jail time will expose many to gang life. In the United Kingdom, prisoners are being released early due to overcrowding. The problem yet again lies with catching those at risk early and helping them choose a better path in life. If only politicians would listen to organisations working at the coal face, rather than those living in ivory towers. J.A. Wallis, Blockhouse Bay. A world-class city? Patrick Reynolds opinion piece (July 1) raves about Auckland being reborn as a world-class city. Tourists dont come to New Zealand hoping to visit a world-class city there are plenty of those in the world they come to experience the countrys unique features, splendid landscapes, the hospitality its people are well-known for. They probably spend little time in the city before heading out. The efforts to create a world-class city seem incongruous when so many in the community probably couldnt afford to visit it, let alone be proud to call it theirs while struggling to find a home, get the necessities of life, put food on the table, get a job. A city with no one homeless or hungry would really be something to be proud of. Anne Martin, Helensville. Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read. Scott Guy was 31 when he was shot on July 8, 2010, at the end of his driveway.