An Inside View of Iran Michael Hirsh’s “Dispatch From Iran” was really perceptive (July 2/July 9). Theocratic Iran is thriving, and it is doing so in accordance with principles that diverge from those underpinning liberal, democratic secular societies. The West needs to learn to live with this development. Forget the idea of a homogenous global culture—Iran is creating its own indigenous brand of modernity based on its historical, revolutionary experience. Modernity no longer has a Western governing point; it cannot be imported or imposed: it is a process that permits different peoples to develop their institutions and values in ways that are consistent with their own cultures. How can America engage Iran? With the confidence-building measure of allowing Iranians their God-given right to pave their own path to modernity. Ghoncheh Tazmini Cascais, Portugal
Michael Hirsh provides a really fresh look at the daily lives of the ordinary Iranians in his “Dispatch.” No one can deny Iran, a sovereign country with a culture dating back several millennia, its need for a homegrown, independent, democratic modernization and cultural reformation. Besides, having witnessed the U.S. military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq, leading to a near total loss of American credibility worldwide, it would be naive to envisage a successful outcome if Iran were to be the next American military target. Let us not forget that, despite their many repressive hardships internally, and despite their subjugation to external sanctions, Iranians have remained proponents of Western—even American—peoples and ideals. Witness, for instance, their spontaneous candlelit street vigils after 9/11. The United States needs to recognize that engagement with Iran, based on re-establishing mutual trust, is therefore the only viable option to effect reform in that country. David N. Rahni Pleasantville, New York
Reducing Global Warming The earth is clearly reacting to the overuse of its natural resources (“Living With Global Warming,” April 23). Mankind’s extravagant way of living and uncontrolled consumerism are the prime culprits for our environmental catastrophes. Though we might not live to see the damage that we are causing, it is our duty to save and protect our planet. Serious efforts need to be made by the present generation to innovatively curb carbon emission, which is the major cause of global warming. The consequences will be disastrous for posterity if we do not mobilize today to save the Earth. K. Chidanand Kumar Bangalore, India
Your in-depth coverage on the issue of global warming was most welcome. Your report focused on the survival of humans, the hidden booty that global warming would bring to the economy, how humans need to adapt and change—but all the while forgetting the threat of extinction that global warming brings to other species (like polar bears, for example). This planet is home to other creatures as well, so let’s think of our collective survival rather than be myopic and think only of ourselves. Balakrishna Jayasimha Bangalore, India
I appreciated your special report on global warming and especially the examples you gave of firms that are concerned with environmental problems. Renewable power in Denmark from wind turbines counts for 75 percent energy utilization. In Germany, solar energy through the use of panels or cells continues to grow. (Indeed, I saw many houses there using solar panels that produce more energy than is consumed.) In the Parliament building in Berlin, solar panels cover part of its electrical usage so that 15 percent of the energy comes from regenerative sources. In Japan, the town of Aito collects and recycles used cooking oil to produce biofuel for diesel motors. In California, there is much interest in renewable energy and improving fuel energy. Thanks for drawing attention to the possibilities of reducing the use of fossil fuels and replacing them by alternative energy to decrease CO2 emissions. E. Sivroni Holon, Israel
So global warming is underway but we do not need to worry? Forget about climate changes, devastating floods and famine-causing droughts; forget about the economic burdens of pollution, lost habitats and extinct species, the untold misery of poor nations trying to cope and poor people trying to migrate. There might even be a chance to cheer up: some countries, firms and people are going to benefit. Practices that affect the environment and eccosystem are beneficial to some: deforestation helps farmers, excessive whaling aids firms and nations, open-pit mining benefits some companies. Yet farsighted people have called for a stop to these practices. Even crimes and vices are profitable to some: narcotics benefit growers and traffickers, money laundering benefits certain individuals, banks and companies. This does not mean we have to accept it. Global warming must be regarded as a calamity to be averted, not a future to accept. The funds to be spent on adapting to global warming should be spent on amending the damage, reducing emissions of gas and adopting sustainable resources. Looking forward to exploiting what comes with global warming is a myopic, selfish approach to an issue that will affect all of us. Azzam El Hait Cairo, Egypt
Rarely have i read such a depressing series of articles as your “Living With Global Warming” with its merry tone: “OK, billions will suffer, millions will die, the environment will be devastated, but who cares? There’s money to be made thanks to climate change!” It was like seeing the Titanic crew selling life preservers to passengers. Worst of all was the “Hot on the Pole” piece. Oilmen are salivating to extract oil and gas from an ice-free Arctic? Have they not yet understood the relation between the use of fossil fuel and the greenhouse effect? Do they want the catastrophe that struck the Arctic—one that the use of fossil fuels mainly provoked—to extract and burn even more oil and gas so the situation can get even worse? These people are not “farsighted” but criminally shortsighted. It is obvious that humanity will try to cope and adapt at this first phase of climate change. But what you seem to miss is that global warming is not a one-step phenomenon. It will continue to grow as long as we go on adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. We can do nothing to return to a cooler planet, but there’s a lot we can do to avoid frying the Earth and its living beings. So we must stop using fossil fuels and stop wasting energy. Our economy must become carbon-neutral, emitting only as much carbon dioxide as nature can absorb. If we don’t do this, temperatures will rise until our planet becomes a desert. It is deeply deceptive, bordering on the criminal, to say that we can adapt to climate change by continuing with “business as usual” (simply changing our vacation place, buying more air conditioners, exploiting new sea routes, etc.) and making money in the process. We must adapt and change our economy and energy use, leaving new reserves of fossil fuels underground. I despair to read that greed and stupidity are again in charge, and there are plans to profit from this dramatic period of human history. We risk not only the demise of our civilization but perhaps even the extinction of our species. Alessandro Saragosa Terranuova, Italy
If man has inadvertently heated this planet, he can take steps to cool it down. If we adopt a variety of energy efficient measures, global warming can be tackled by cutting carbon emissions. The sun provides abundant energy. Its output is 386 billion megawatts per second, and it’ll be available for the next 5 billion years or so. Electricity can be produced on a larger scale from the sun. The oil shortages of the 1970s prompted the development of alternative-energy sources. Are we waiting for a fossil-fuel shortage to develop other such sources? Wind is clean fuel, and hydropower is the largest renewable electricity source. Why do we not push for those by involving business and industry? Of the total carbon reductions achievable, 57 percent are due to energy efficiency and 43 percent are from renewable sources. Nature produces lots of power that can be harnessed. For example, an average lightning bolt carries 1 million kilowatts of electricity. There are reports that a company has developed a trial product that can collect power from a strike. If there’s a will, a way can be found to cut down on carbon emissions. Valal Sekharan Dharmakumar New Delhi, India
Kyoto Protocol Redux Apropos Fareed Zakaria’s “In Search of a New Kyoto” (April 23), he forgot to mention that something akin to a new Kyoto has already been conceived. The Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development & Climate (also known as AP6) comprises Australia, India, Japan, China, South Korea and the United States. It aims to aggressively tackle global warming, climate change, energy security and air pollution. A nontreaty agreement between the member countries, it allows states to set their goals for reducing emissions individually, with no mandatory enforcement mechanism, unlike the Kyoto Protocol. This has led to criticism by other governments, climate scientists and environmental groups that the partnership is worthless. Proponents, on the other hand, argue that unrestricted economic growth and emission reductions can be brought about only through active engagement by all major polluters, including India and China. Within the Kyoto Protocol framework, neither India nor China are required to reduce emissions. Although it is regarded as a public-relations ploy, one of its features—the transfer and sharing of clean development mechanisms and clean production technology—will go a long way toward ensuring sustainable development for all. Minerva Singh Chandigarh, India
A Pope for This Century? Your April 23 piece “The Missing Pope” depicts Benedict XVI as an old-fashioned leader who sees the Roman Catholic world strictly through European eyes. Although he had probably been the most influential person in the Vatican during John Paul II’s papacy, he’s eclipsed now by the charisma of his predecessor. The latter traveled all over the world to spread Christ’s message, and knew how to speak with both authority and humility. Not even the child-abuse scandals that pestered the Catholic Church and hurt its finances tarnished his image as a leader, a shepherd and a father. Now it’s time for Benedict XVI to define his papacy, destroy his image of aloofness and avoid any similarity with the aristocratic Pius XII. Some excruciatingly painful matters must be addressed during his papacy: abortion, same-sex marriages, the ordination of women, celibacy, pedophilia and homosexuality in the clergy, and a shortage of priests and nuns. Criticizing the Prophet Muhammad must be avoided at all costs. This pope needs all the support he can get to unify the Catholic Church and consolidate his image as a real leader in these difficult times. If he fails, he will be remembered merely as the pope who succeeded John Paul II. Jose Thomaz Gama Da Silva Belo Horizonte, Brazil
I am neither Roman Catholic nor religious, but I can see that the pope has felt the pangs of the postmodern world. Individualism reigns supreme, and one’s own self-generated beliefs are more revered than any dogma, principle or virtue. Postmodernism is a paradigm shift, an emergency in organized religion—be it Catholic or evangelical. So the pope, instead of becoming an international player, chose to revive the influence of the church. And why not? Your report ended with a plea for a “shepherd who would help tackle present and future problems.” But how can any leader lead in a crumbling arena? Raymand Marquez Kole Bacolod City, Philippines
