I READ with great interest the letter from Paul Baker of DARE (March 2) which is but one of a number of its ilk. We see yet another example of assumptions and assertions that can only be made with the confidence of the partially-informed, and are truly worrying in that these are often made by those in some position of apparent authority. If GB Ltd stopped all carbon emissions today, globally it would affect the carbon balance by .0004%. There are, as yet, no sound scientific grounds for saying that mankind is solely or mainly responsible for global warming, and anyone who says otherwise can only be recommended to read literature outside their chosen area of interest. The jury is still out on whether sunspot activity, natural phenomena or man is to blame ? or any combination of them. So why the apparent delight in the almost religious fundamentalist attitude that man must be made to suffer for the error of his ways? And to pretend that some arbitrary targets are either reachable, necessary or relevant must be the unkindest cut of all. To add to the pretence that ?something is being done? is even unkinder. The DTI?s own figures say that at best wind turbines will produce approximately 25% of their stated output. Germany, which has had years of experience, finds that figure is under 20%, as does Denmark. As a point of interest, Mr Baker seems unaware that for all Germany?s 17,500 wind turbines, they have not been able to close one single power station. And that to produce the output of one normal-sized power station would need a corridor one-mile wide from Exeter to somewhere past London. And we would still have to hope there is no extended period of calm. Finally, as a last example of truly misleading statements, we read of the hope ?that inspectors will be taking these reality issues into account?. From this, we can only get the impression that inspectors must bend to the half-baked, transient hopes of any individual that purports to have the empirical answer to man?s problems! No, this is exactly what they must not do. They must follow their legal remit, laid down quite clearly in law and follow their statutory duties to the letter, ignoring fads, fancies and misplaced edicts from on high. I cannot say everyone likes their decisions, but surely we should commend them for carrying out their duties in the face of sometimes hysterical, often misinformed, pressure. So, by all means let us look for positive and effective solutions. But let us look for real solutions, not tainted by profit motivations on a truly industrial scale: and let us look at placing them where they can do least harm. The effects and causes of climate change are uncertain. Causing irreparable damage to our landscape and heritage is 100% certain and unforgiveable. All we at Okehampton and Dartmoor Against Turbines can do is to try and stop unthinking vandalism and an obscene waste of public money on a local scale: but, we believe, one of huge importance ? the protection of a national treasure ? Dartmoor. Ray Quirke Bowerland Okehampton
