Apocalypse now

Clark Cross airs his scepticism about climate warming by referring to the biblical warning about the Apocalypse (Letters, 7 June).

Hundreds of thousands of people across the planet are already experiencing the devastating effects of fire, floods, hurricane sand tornado es. At least they won’t have the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse knocking on the doors of their flattened houses.

Extreme tornado outbreaks, and hurricanes, have become more common in places like North America, due to ocean warming. 2017 was the first season since records began in 1851 to have two Category 4 hurricanes make landfall in the US in the same year, Harvey and Irma. That was also the year which saw Puerto Rico hit by its worst natural disaster, when hurricane Maria wreaked havoc. There is also plenty of fire. There has been a big increase in the number of large wildfires across the world over the past few decades. These fires have also increased in ferocity and duration, due to increasing temperatures and reduced rainfall.

As for floods: we all saw the devastation experienced by millions of people during last year’s floods in Bangladesh, the news of which was delayed in the West by the extensive coverage of the American hurricanes. These floods are an annual event, but they’re becoming much more intense.

At least eight islands in the Pacific have already disappeared because of rising sea levels, and many more are threatened with the same fate across all the oceans of the planet. This is happening now, not at some time in the future.

Rich countries across the globe are the main drivers of climate warming, but are the least affected by the consequences – so far.

We will be judged harshly by future generations if we allow self-interest, and the carefully nurtured scepticism which seeks to justify it, to inform our decision-making on this vital issue.”

CAROLYN TAYLOR Wellbank, Broughty Ferry