Letters: Climate change, Emmerson, Sarah Bennett and Lady Tureiti Moxon

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during the opening of the 46th session of the Human Rights Council at the European headquarters of the United Nations. Photo / Salvatore Di Nolfi, AP

Letter of the week: Caroline Mabry, Glen Eden
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has announced that the developing world must orient itself to climate action; this is a "make it or break it" year. We have the knowledge to meet this challenge. The alternative is climate changes creating violent weather, pollution, ruined environments, extinctions...
We must make cultural adjustments if we are to "make peace with Mother Nature". We can modify our economic model and redefine profit to include planet health. We must move away from a throwaway, carbon-generating society and learn to value old outdated items that still work and can be repaired or recycled. The lovely clothes now out of fashion must not be discarded but treasured. The "keeping up with the Jones" by buying new things and clothes in the colour or fashion of the moment is finished.
We could benefit from understanding a Japanese philosophy that "nothing is perfect from the start, life worn items and signs of repair of an object symbolises the idea that its history is part of its beauty".

Perseverance
Unless Emmerson (Weekend Herald, February 20) has a deeper understanding of Martian quarantine regulations than even NASA – that is, that they are much stricter than anything on an "alien planet" - then Percey/Perci the rover won't have to go into quarantine as it's been on a "ship" for over 14 days (actually nine months). Thus, it also meets the New Zealand ship crew regulations.
Thankfully, it will be scanning and sending back position updates.
Andrew Parsons, Ōrākei

Tourist fees
Sarah Bennett (Canvas, February 20) makes a lot of excellent points with her view on the Environment Commissioner's tourism report. However one thing that both she and the Commissioner skirt over is the current $35 entrance fee charged to all tourists other than Australians and Pacific Islanders.
If this fee is greatly increased, to say $350, it wouldn't stop many tourists at all. But it would provide a good deal of money to allow DOC to improve access and also to properly finance local councils to provide facilities and properly police freedom campers, both of local and of overseas origin.
Together with booths allowing the number of daily tourists on pressure points such as the Milford Road, Mt Cook and the Tongariro Crossing (and fees should be charged for non-New Zealanders), tourist numbers in these areas could be limited which will solve many of the problems that we have struck with overseas tourist pressure.
Many overseas countries have suffered from over-tourism in some areas and are also taking measures to prevent it.
John Potter, Takapuna.

Emissions count
I read with interest Sarah Bennett's ideas (Canvas, February 20) concerning a departure tax on travellers to offset carbon emissions from air travel. It's stated a person will produce 3 tonnes of CO2 on a flight from New Zealand to Europe. But this overlooks the elephant in the room.
Aircraft produced 2.5 per cent of total carbon emissions for 2018 while cars produced 42.6 per cent of total carbon emissions.
Cars produce just under 40 per cent more carbon emissions than aircraft.
Michael Walker, Blockhouse Bay.

Cruise control
Travel writer Sarah Bennett expressed an opinion that cruise ship emissions were three to four times more CO2 per passenger. However, taking into account a cruise ship is operating a number of fuel generating systems for a wide range of purposes/ services on board, to make a direct comparison with a passenger jet is really not that simple. The real situation is that prior to the current Covid-19 pandemic, there was a far greater amount of carbon and vapour produced by air travel than cruising. Personally, I would hope that in the future cruising remains an integral part of the mix of overseas tourism to New Zealand working in partnership with air travel as it has done for at least the past 40 years. Cruising has become one of the most developed travel products in recent times at all levels and size of ship and while there may be issues from time to time, isn't that so with everything? I was lucky to have experienced 51 years in the businesses of shipping/cruise and air travel to know this.
Ian Read, Taupō.

People problem
We have now witnessed, in a mere 70 years, the global population swelling from (approx.) 2.5 billion to 7.8 billion today, i.e. it has more than tripled.
It can be difficult to avoid landing in sensitive territory when discussing population management, particularly when thinking of past attempts, for example, governmental policy on one-child families. However, we do need to have the conversation, and we may be surprised to find our initial views on the subject are changed through open and impartial discussion.
Encouragingly, there has more recently been a tangible groundswell of concern, including commentary by that "advocate for the natural world" David Attenborough.
This groundswell will hopefully promote wider discussion on the issue, allowing a pragmatic approach to avoid it becoming mired in misinformation, and political correctness.
I personally hope we in Aotearoa can find time to consider the subject and better appreciate some of the complexities as we try to address related global issues such as increasing demand for the planet's diminishing natural resources and the warming atmosphere, issues which overpopulation underlies.
Jim Flewitt, Warkworth.

Accuracy needed
I applaud Lady Tureiti Moxon for her advocacy for her people (Weekend Herald, February 20) but the facts are that, in this epidemic, it is not Māori who have been most affected in NZ. It is Asian New Zealanders, then Pacific, then Europeans, and Māori are the least likely group to be infected.
Blaming institutional racism as the reason for Māori hesitancy to receive the vaccine seems like an easy "go-to" argument, when the issue is about ensuring these communities get accurate information.
Miranda Green, Ōrewa.

Global view
I have just received an email from the Auckland Council inviting comment on the 10-year budget.
As early as in paragraph two there is a proposal to increase spend on climate change by $150 million. I need read no further.
Who the hell are these people and when did they lose touch with reality? They are not running the world.
Peter Clapshaw, Remuera.

A quick word

I walk to work, compost, use Bokashi bins, recycle diligently, use solar energy. My sin is, I travel to an exciting foreign destination once a year, or used to. Do I get any carbon credits for any sustainable measures? Nishi Fahmy, Avondale.

Even though they will be returned to communities for their use at the end of the America's Cup how does Lotto justify spending millions on the chase boats.? They should have been paid for by the billionaire syndicate owners. Bruce Tubb, Belmont.

I am totally in favour of a "Pineapple Chunks Morning". Although to justify another statutory holiday, it should be joined by a "Jelly Tip afternoon". Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.

Australia dumps its criminals, ISIS terrorists, toxic waste in NZ. We make indignant noises and then meekly lie down for the next pasting from them. They must be laughing their heads off. Pim Venecourt, Pāpāmoa.

I have it on good authority from a friend of a friend that there was more to Billy TK's quitting politics than meets the eye. but I can't say anything more as you never know - with this government, 5G technology and the vaccine roll-out - who may be listening and watching. John Capener, Kawerau.

Who owns Mars, and where can I buy my quarter-acre section? I am not moving there for a tropical holiday; it will be for a cooler climate and some extra space. Glenn Forsyth, Taupō.

It is inconsistent that mask use is now mandatory at Level 1 for all public transport users, yet is not required at the same level when attending large indoor or outdoor events which could, potentially, pose a greater risk. M Boardman, Dunedin.

Should these anti-vaxxers' be true and those of us that participate in the vaccine programme become zombies, then the dimwit AVs will control our planet. How bad is that? Dick Ayres, Auckland Central.

By the time all vaccinations are administered, there will be around 10,000,000 bottles emptied. What will happen to them? David Bentham, Browns Bay.

Facebook started as a web facility for vacuous humans to exchange fatuous insights. The Australian government, selfish as always, simply wants a slice of the news royalties by way of media tax take. Jim Carlyle, Te Atatū Peninsula.

After 18 years, it's time to axe the appalling, cringy, distasteful The Bachelor and Bachelorette. I beg of you, make it stop. Helen Lowe, Albany.

If Team NZ successfully defends the America's Cup the first rule change they need to implement is to make the helmsman only eligible to sail with their country of origin. Dave Miller, Tauranga.