Natural factors alone cannot account for scale of change in planet's climate

Published on Monday 29 June 2009 20:49

Dr James Buckee (your report, 25 June) demonstrates clearly just why climate change sceptics – I would prefer the term "deniers" – like him are so out of touch with our current scientific, economic and political realities. There is, indeed, a natural change in climate systems driven by factors such as solar energy, but the world is already well outside the climate that could arise from the current state of those natural factors.

Science can only explain the current rate of climate change by reference to human emissions of greenhouse gases.

It was, in fact, 1998, not 2000, that was the hottest year in recent times, but this was due to the El Nio effect, which he does not mention, and, when this is taken into account, the International Panel on Climate Change data show that 1998 fits into the pattern of man-made warming which is of such great concern.

Anyone who has seen the film The Age of Stupid will have been shocked by the filmed evidence of the virtual disappearance of many Alpine glaciers over the past few decades.

If we follow Dr Buckee's thinking, Scotland will be left trailing the world, our innovative spirit to tackle the challenges of the day will be killed off and we will continue to do irreparable damage to our ability to sustain future generations on the planet. Even among those current and former oil executives who have profited from causing climate change, Dr Buckee is looking increasingly isolated in his indefensible stance. Fortunately, it is not one shared by Scotland's parliament.

DR GUY JOHNSON

Sighthill Health Centre

Findhorn Place

Edinburgh

MSPs are fooling themselves and making fools of themselves with claims to lead the world in tackling supposed global warming through reduction targets.

Leading is what you do when others follow – otherwise it is known as being out on your own. Having read reams of material arguing both sides, I find no credible evidence that humans can cause or prevent climate change. One certainty is that Scottish measures will have no global impact whatever.

ROBERT DOW

Ormiston Road

Tranent, East Lothian

Bill Jamieson (Opinion, 26 June) refers to the Scottish Parliament's Climate Change Act as twaddle. If it was only twaddle it would be of little matter. It is, however, another collapse of reason in the face of the new Green religion, which worships computer model projections of catastrophes to come, scaremongers with them, and rejects the views of those who disagree as heresy.

There are many people who do not go along with the global warmists. However, so successful have the new religious priests been in their scaremongering and accusations, they are afraid to speak out. I'm glad to see Bill Jamieson is made of the right stuff.

JIM SILLARS

Grange Loan

Edinburgh

We need not worry about taking a "step closer to green fascist insanity" (Letters, 29 June) with Holyrood's Climate Change Bill. That step was taken some time ago, and being "Green" for many means being every bit as intolerant as the most extreme religious devotee. No doubt, no questions, no unorthodoxy are allowed. Now it appears those legislating for us at the Scottish level are trying to outdo each other in who can inflict the most pain on the people.

The passage of the bill reveals a lack of any real free thinkers at Holyrood.

ALEXANDER McKAY

New Cut Rigg

Edinburgh