The rainforests of the world are burning. We are losing in excess of 20,000 square miles a year in the Amazon alone.

This matters because it means we are also losing over 10,000 species of plants and animals every year. And that matters because the rainforests represent a priceless treasure of pharmaceutical cures.

Not even one per cent of plants have been tested for cures, but this has lead to 25 per cent of all remedies available to us.

Meanwhile the rainforest people who actually knew about such cures have had their lives ended in many cases by Europeans, of which every shaman lost is the equivalent of the loss of a library of valuable knowledge.

The problems with the rainforest loss worldwide under greedy and despotic regimes can only be addressed at a political level where real pressure can be applied.

China has been emitting ozone destroying chemicals, and pressure needs to be applied to save ourselves. I would suggest the EU, while not perfect, has a great deal more world standing than the UK on its own.

At one point the UK was running Europe’s foreign policy. The UK needs to face down the destroyers. Hence we should remain.

Chris Clayton,

Hempland Drive,York