Letter: Climate science

Surely it's only a matter of time now before the actual global experts in climate, such as the Met Office, Royal Society and Nasa, see the error of their ways, ignore their own clear evidence, and bow to the greater wisdom of Anatoly and Nigel.

Scepticism of consensus is healthy, but it is plain common sense to recognise that there comes a point at which decisions have to become rooted in overwhelming scientific evidence, especially where the fundamental health of our planet and its inhabitants is concerned.

It is possible, even now, to cite many individuals who continue to deny the links between smoking and cancer, but mercifully we are no longer paralysed in our policy-making on that issue.

We have wasted decades seeking greater certainty on climate change - decades in which we could have been making much more rapid progress towards a sustainable future.

In the meantime, the evidence has become more and more compelling, the doubters have become more and more marginalised, and the effects of our behaviour have become more and more damaging.

Can we please just get on with it now?

Chris Hegarty

Glenorchy Road

North Berwick

Clark Cross claims that more than 1,000 scientists have challenged global warming claims made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Could he tell us how many of these are climate scientists? Could he refer us to a handy reference for all those scientists?

As for Dr Anatoly Levitin, the CO generated by burning fossil fuels is new to our planet, whereas the CO generated by natural causes had the stabilising mechanisms of plant uptake of the gas.

Remember that we are removing natural vegetation on a daily basis, and if you have a finely balanced system it takes only a little to tip it over the edge.

Donald Scott

Glenorchil Crescent

Auchterarder