THE decision of the West Devon planning committee to reject the planning application for a wind farm at Den Brook, North Tawton is shameful. Every day the headlines spell out the clear message that climate change caused by our use of fossil fuels is leading to massive changes to the biosphere which threaten the very existence of our species: ?WHO - human-induced climate change already causes 150,000 deaths a year?; ?Greenland ice swells ocean rise?; ?Climate change far greater threat than international terrorism says UK Government?s chief scientific adviser? - to quote a few. Ostrich-like, with their heads well and truly buried in the sand, the committee decided that the ?visual impact? of the wind turbines is of greater importance than the fight against climate disaster. Have they any idea what landscape our grandchildren will inherit when climate change ravages our West Devon countryside and ecosystems world wide later this century? Fortunately, not everyone is so short-sighted. Three cheers for Sweden which has made a commitment to wean itself off oil completely within 15 years - without building a new generation of nuclear power stations. Closer to home, more environmentally aware councils have made tackling climate change a top priority. For example, Woking has adopted a comprehensive climate change strategy covering power, heat and transport for local authority, home and business users with demanding targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2050. Many other councils are doing likewise. The question the people of West Devon have to ask is ? is our council the most environmentally unfriendly in the country? Martin Quinn West Devon Green Party 61 Old Exeter Road Tavistock