Sir, – The letter from C Lawton (D&S, May 16) is, I’m afraid, entirely unconvincing as an argument against wind farms.

It begins by referring to “climate change”, in inverted commas, as if the facts accumulated over the last 50 years could simply be wished away. The latest IPCC report states “each of the last three decades has been successively warmer at the earth’s surface than any preceding decade since 1850”. It is as a result of this finding, and the overwhelming evidence that carbon emissions are the main cause of global warming, that 114 countries have agreed to the Copenhagen Accord of 2009, which declares that global warming should be limited to below 2.0°C (3.6°F). Although the link between climate change and recent extreme weather is still debated, many people are already becoming concerned that the relentless rains which the UK experienced a few months ago and the number of severe hurricanes seen in recent years are early manifestations of the disruption caused by climate change.

In a rather strange attempt to slur renewable energy, C Lawton then goes on to refer to it as “so-called renewable sources” and to claim, without providing any evidence at all, that green energy companies and the IPCC itself are acting improperly or are corrupt.

When our ancestors built windmills or water mills to grind their corn, did they not assume (correctly) that these sources of power were renewable? Have we not had hydroelectric power stations on major rivers around the world for decades? So why is modern-day wind power, wave power, solar power, etc not renewable? As to the claim about green energy companies and the IPCC being funded inappropriately, C Lawton really needs to put up or shut up.

Which brings me, finally, to wind turbines. At present 83 countries around the world are using wind power to supply the electricity grid and, as of 2011, Denmark was generating more than a quarter of its electricity from wind. Not bad for a supposedly weak and feeble power source. As I said in my previous letter, there may well be arguments for and against particular wind farm developments, but this is in no way the same as claiming that we can simply ignore wind as a readily available source of free energy.

I’m afraid C Lawton’s letter reminds me very strongly of the man who said: “My mind is made up – don’t confuse me with facts.”

ROGER A FISKEN Burneston, Bedale.