Climate change evidence overwhelming

It is often claimed that climate scientists disagree over the issue of global warming. Yet a recent article by NASA states that multiple studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals show that 97 per cent or more of actively publishing climate scientists agree that human activity is causing climate warming. Recent research quoted in Scientific American on all global climate models published from the 1970s to

2007 concludes: “Even models in the

1970s accurately predicted the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and temperature rise

. . . Most of these models are long

cent of the earth’s atmosphere. Trying to blame the government’s climate policies for the fires is just taking cheap political shots.

Mary Hackshaw, Victoria

Murray Fitchett’s bizarre letter attempting to deny the reality of manmade climate change would be laughable if it were not so sickeningly juxtaposed against Australia’s burning. Those fires are exactly what climate change scientists have warned would happen as our planet heats up.

He whines that Greta Thunberg, Time magazine’s Person of the Year for her climate change campaigning, is a teenager — as if age somehow makes her opinion less valid. Instead he should be hanging his head in shame that someone of his age is having to have basic facts about the destruction of our planet pointed out to him by her.

More importantly, she does not attempt to claim any particular knowledge greater than the rest of us. Instead, she simply says “read the report” — the IPCC’s Report on Climate Change, which is drawn from 9200 peer-reviewed scientific articles, written by people whose age is likely to be much closer to Mr Fitchett’s age than Ms Thunberg’s.

I would say exactly what Greta Thunberg has been saying, which is since obsolete, replaced by far more advanced generations . . . yet, most of them were spot on. Fourteen out of 17 models were found to be accurate.”

But will this change the views of global warming sceptics. Sadly, the answer is “no”. People who would rush to have a medical procedure for some potentially fatal disease like cancer, if advised by 97 per cent of medical specialists, will remain in a state of denial because any evidence is trumped by the economic bottom line. And yet without urgent action, economic performance itself will be swamped by climate change.

no more and no less than this: Read the IPCC Report. If he thinks that he has sounder and better opinions than that of 9200 scientists, I would love to hear what those are. But he should remember that when he writes that letter, it will be under skies turned red by fires 2000 kilometres away. Jeremy Hall, Opaheke

Knighthoods degraded

It is beyond my comprehension why people are awarded knighthoods and damehoods for doing a job they are paid to do.

I agree with Rob Paterson who wrote these people have already been rewarded in their business or sports careers in which they were employed. It almost seems now that New Zealand has a quota each year to be filled which is degrading to the traditional honour.

Citizens who volunteer their time and energy to public service with no intention of receiving recognition are the true knights and dames of this country.

Hannah Peddie, Sandringham

Your correspondent, Rob Paterson, obviously does not have much understanding of human psychology. Successful people have always wanted to be recognised above the