Realist who confronts the woolly green romantics

JAMES LOVELOCK has a long and noble history of defending the natural world and brings a gust of robust realism to the woolly green romanticism which passes for international environmental policy.

He may or may not be correct in his contention that the world is already doomed as you reported (April 18).

If he is, then we may as well lie back and enjoy what time we have left. If he is not, then we must concentrate on protection of our natural heritage and the mitigation of the (usually overstated) effects of global warming.