Easier to deride science than face climate truths

RON Cram’s letter ( TB, August 17) makes me worry about the future of science and reason in this country.

It seems that people will consider almost any crackpot theory when it comes to global warming.

Any theory, that is, except for the obvious: that humans are causing it by emitting carbon. Ron suggests that it’s the alignment of the planets that is the real cause. What next?

Sure, it’s an interesting theory. But where is the evidence to support it?

Scientific consensus has been written off as a conspiracy and a big lie. Rather than trust the world’s scientists, people are prepared to dismiss them out of hand.

The fact that independent evidence, from different methods around the world, have all pointed to the same result, seems to count for nothing. For Ron, and others who share his world view, let me spell it out in terms that even they can’t dismiss.

We are digging up and burning fossil fuels at a rate that the Earth has never known. This is a recent development.

There are over seven billion people on Earth now, and growing. This has also never happened before.

All of these people consume resources.

Like it or not, we are running a very risky experiment with our own future. We need science to find our way through. CSIRO, NASA, and many other agencies are helping.

We need to support them, not deride them.

A good first step would be to accept the evidence, even if we don’t like what it’s telling us. TONY TSIMBAS,

Townsville.