The spotlight has recently been turned on animal production, mainly targeting ruminants (sheep & cattle) as being one of the main contributors of greenhouse gases.

It is a fact that ruminants produce carbon dioxide and methane, as do humans and every other animal on earth. Methane has a half-life of about 10 years and breaks down to form carbon dioxide and water.

However, it must be realised that carbon dioxide and methane emitted by animals are part of the natural "carbon cycle" that has been going on for hundreds of millions of years. The carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is absorbed by growing plants. The plants are either burned, rot or eaten by animals, the carbon dioxide (and methane) is released back into the atmosphere and the cycle goes on and on and on.

So, the carbon dioxide emitted by animals (including humans) is not new, it always has been and always will be part of the everlasting "carbon cycle".

The recent build up in atmospheric carbon dioxide is almost entirely a result of burning fossil fuels - coal, oil and gas. Forest destruction also accounts for a small part of the extra carbon dioxide in the air.

So, it is illogical and wrong to attribute greenhouse gas increases to the livestock industry. If the vegetation is not eaten by livestock, it would burn, rot or be eaten by other animals (and termites) and produce exactly the same amount of carbon dioxide in the long run.

Over the last 50 years, Australian sheep numbers have dropped from about 180 million to 70 million and cattle numbers in Australia have remained about the same at 26 million (about 2.5 per cent of the world total). Our burn rate of fossil fuels has doubled over the same period.

There have always been large herds of animals roaming the earth and eating plants but to get things in perspective, termites consume more plant matter than any other species and produce more carbon dioxide and methane than any other species.

It seems to me that some of the climate activists are "piggy-backing" their personal agendas, such as animal rights, dietary preferences and political ideologies onto the climate change discussion.

Peter Bagshaw, Tamworth

It is unfortunate that following a number of recent strongly stated announcements by Prime Minister Scott Morrison it is clear the Nationals will be dictating many of the actions taken by the Prime Minister in relation to climate change at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow.

It is a matter of the tail wagging the dog. The National's are the junior partner in the Federal Coalition but their level of influence within the Coalition, in relation to climate change, is extensive. Barnaby Joyce, as leader of the Nationals, plays a big role here.

The Climate conference, has as one of its prime objectives, to phase out, as quickly as possible, the burning of coal to produce energy. This is because the burning of coal is a main cause of climate change. Scott Morrison, as a result of the influence of the National's, has stated that he will oppose any attempt to quickly phase out the use of coal. For the same reason Scott Morrison has also stated that he will not increase his planned target to further reduce greenhouse emissions by 2030. CNN have said that the lack of an updated goal made Australia "the rich world's weakest link".

In many instances, at the climate conference, The Australian Way as heralded by Scott Morrison will be the National's way.

The climate conference is of enormous importance in regards to the future of the World's rapidly declining climate stability. A great many Australian's are likely to be extremely upset that their climate views and requirements will not be acted upon at the conference.

Brian Measday, Myrtle Bank South Australia.

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On behalf of Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy, I must protest. Now in Rome for the G20 meeting, Scott Morrison is actually proud of himself for behaving worse than if he were at a backyard barbecue. He went up to Emmanuel Macron and interrupted a conversation by putting his hand on Macron's shoulder, then saying that it was nice to see him and they would talk later.

Outrageous! Emmanuel Macron is France's head of state, while Scott Morrison is merely a glory-grabbing politician. Morrison would never do that to the head of state of America, or Russia, or China, or India, or Indonesia, or even Nauru, because they are the equivalent of the Queen - just the same as France's head of state. Try to imagine Morrison interrupting the Queen, putting his hand on her shoulder and saying, "It's nice to see you, Elizabeth. We'll talk later".

The sooner that Australian monarchists help to get rid of this crass, childish excuse for a Prime Minister, the better.

G.T.W. Agnew, Coopers Plains