Weather vane

He expresses the concern that “faulty predictions” (meaning those that differ from those he prefers) have given rise to “hysterical attitudes” and then promptly adopts an overwrought posture himself asserting that decarbonising our economy will be “crippling” for its competitiveness; no facts, no evidence, no reference to the costs to the economy (and life in general) if he happens to be wrong in his views on climate change.

In his earlier correspondence (Letters, 11 May) Prof Trewavas called on Copernicus in support of his view that scientific explanations of observed phenomena can change (no-one could argue with that). However, the world continued quite comfortably while theories were batted around on how the planets revolved in space. No urgent action was necessary. On climate change, expert opinion says the opposite is true: action is necessary now.

As The Scotsman article (“Driving Towards Disaster”, 28 May) confirmed, there is clear evidence that the impacts of climate change are already being felt around the world and that, without urgent action, these effects could be catastrophic and irreversible. In that context, Scotland should be proud of listening to the experts and showing leadership. We need to support that lead collectively and as individuals.

Tom Ballantine

Edinburgh

WITH the news that this spring was the coldest for more than 50 years, surely the Met Office and the BBC should be talking seriously about changing their continuous doom-laden messages of global-warming disasters, which have been believed by all our political leaders driving a farcical green agenda which has resulted in millions of Britons moving into fuel poverty.

Maybe now, after the latest news, we will see the many eminent scientists who deny that man has any major impact on climate changes being allowed their time in the limelight, instead of being shut out by the one-sided arguments the BBC in particular has supported.

Let us now see television programmes which present genuine evidence, not computer models, to prove that our weather is just cyclical and will continue to produce various climate changes over the years to come.

There is still time for Prime Minister David Cameron and First Minister Alex Salmond to ignore former US vice-president Al Gore, open their eyes and admit that they were wrong and dump the green energy taxes which are punishing everyone and stopping economic recovery.

Sadly, however, the reality is that the leadership in the Met Office and the BBC along with our blinkered politicians are too small to admit their failings and change their thinking.

Iain J McConnell

Gifford, East Lothian