Ignore climate change hysteria

TTHE EDITOR, Sir:

HERE IS no scientific consensus indicating that humans are the major contributors to climate change. Further, the few studies inferring the reality of anthropogenic climate change are probabilistic.

One study, for example, could assert that there is a 95 per cent probability that humans are responsible for 60 per cent of climate change. Then there is also the problem of methodology and data sets skewing the research conclusion.

Yet despite knowing these challenges, many profess the credibility of anthropogenic climate change with great certainty. Likewise, the claim that carbon dioxide is greatly actuating warming by trapping heat in the Earth’s atmosphere is overstated.

Carbon dioxide is sparsely concentrated in the atmosphere, and furthermore, there is not a significant relationship between this gas and rising temperatures (Christy, et al, 2018). In fact, according to NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, during 1880-2017, global average temperature only increased by 0.8 degrees Celsius, notwithstanding a sizeable surge in atmospheric CO2 concentration.

Moreover, climate alarmists rarely point to the benefits of a warming planet such as the growth in vegetation or improved biodiversity (Hof, et al, 2012). In addition, warming further accelerates the growth of forests (Pretzsch, et al, 2014). Climate models are complicated and provide no certitude in predicting long-term changes in the climate. Even the IPCC’s 2018 report notes that the long-term prediction of future climate patterns is impossible.

The Holness administration must ignore hysterical climate activists along with their foolish pet projects. Jamaica is a poor country. We will not cripple our economy by relying on unreliable renewable technology to appease activists espousing dubious claims.

Climate change is real but poses no existential threat. LIPTON MATTHEWS lo_matthews@yahoo.com