Climate change views

Thank you for publishing the letter from Terry Dunleavy (“Climate ignorance”, 19th July 2018). I support his right to hold an opinion. But while Mr Dunleavy and his colleagues are free to express their contrarian views, they do younger generations a great disservice. Distracting us away from real solutions to the real problem of climate change, they waste valuable time and money. Change now, towards a low carbon future, is the pathway to improvement in many walks of life: environmental, energy, urban living, transport, and both personal and public health.

Vast amounts of carbon, removed from the atmosphere over the 60-million-year Carboniferous period and laid down as fossil fuels, have been released by humankind over the past 150 years. The first world conference on global warming was held in 1979. The concept and science are not new, the principles are not complicated, and most of the solutions are clear. Only the politics remain in contention.

Perhaps in a misguided search for relevance, or simply enjoying the role of grumpy old men, the so-called NZ Climate Science Coalition, (without scientists, climate or otherwise) diverts attention from sensible policies and preparations for mitigating, managing, and adapting to a climate that for New Zealand will be more extreme and more energetic, and less kind to our flora and fauna, our infrastructure, and our people.

Rob Burrell, Newmarket.