SIR - Mr Read, citing a piece in the Telegraph's motoring section, claims that cars contribute an "insignificant 0.5 percent" to total greenhouse gas emissions [Drive on, Feedback, 5 February 2001].

 According to official energy information statistics from the US government, total US greenhouse gas emissions for 1999 were 1,832.6 million metric tonnes (carbon equivalent), 16 per cent (298 million tonnes) of which were from "gasoline" burned in motor vehicles.

 Thus, Americans, who it is important to remember represent just five per cent of the world's population, are pumping out 298 million tonnes of carbon a year into the atmosphere from their cars and trucks.

 By the time the rest of the world has caught up, the total will be about 6 billion tonnes a year, which, even if technology enables us to halve that figure, is still anything but insignificant.

 By encouraging our love affair with the motorcar with such misinformation, the Telegraph is doing us a terrible disservice. No one wants to be cursed by their own children or grandchildren - as one day we surely shall be if we continue to allow ourselves to be infatuated by the motorcar.