We import food because our climate does not allow us to grow everything we want - Yorkshire Post Letters

Re: "Common sense and food prices", Letters, December 5.

I would like to respond to Mr Boyes' series of half-truths and false assertions that he claims to be common sense.

We import food because our climate does not allow us to grow everything we want throughout the year. Setting aside land is essential in order to protect soil fertility, which is something that is deteriorating rapidly globally.

It is true that we have had extreme weather events in the past that have affected agricultural production, but there is overwhelming evidence that extreme events are now increasing in magnitude and frequency.

There is no logic in saying that renewable energy is cheap and plentiful but has to be shored up by fossil fuels. Renewable energy is cheap but current government rules prevent its exploitation.

Much of the coal that is imported is used in steel production, where there are currently no easy alternatives.

Mr Boyes' claim about climate scientists and the nature of science predicting the future makes no sense.

While some regulations may appear to be 'nonsense' many are needed in order to ensure safety and standardisation, and having regulations does not prevent growth and prosperity: on the other hand, it can contribute to improving them.

It is certainly true that low wages mean that for many people it does not pay to work, and that electric battery use does have environmental consequences of its own.

Then there is the old myth about unelected EU bureaucrats. The European Union has its own Members of the European Parliament who debate laws, as happens in this country. The right-wing media in this country was very successful in stifling news about the European Parliament and creating the myth of unelected bureaucrats.

Finally, common sense is actually simply what powerful forces around us want to believe. To me, common sense is about protecting our environment and creating a world where our children and grandchildren can prosper. Unfortunately, this does not seem to be the common sense that much of our media forces down our throats.