Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – Dr Lindsay claims that global warming ”stubbornly refuses to materialise” (Letters, September 1). He seems to have missed some important recent news items.
On August 29 the Met Office issued its updated 30-year average UK temperatures so it now covers the period 1981-2010. It reports that: ”Temperature shows the most marked change, with the UK annual mean temperature being 0.25 C higher for the 1981-2010 period compared to 1971-2000, or 0.52 C if compared to 1961-1990.”
The BBC reported on August 23 that Sir Robert Watson, the Government’s Chief Scientist, had said that any hopes of restricting the global temperature rise to 2C (as governments hoped) were now ”out of the window”. He said: ”The rise could be as high as 5 C, with dire consequences.”
On August 27 the BBC reported NASA as saying ”the Arctic has lost more sea ice this year than at any time since satellite records began in 1979” and there are still several weeks of further melting to come during September. The Arctic warms faster than other parts of the planet as the loss of ice means less sunshine is reflected back into the atmosphere.
As the ice disappears, the process of warming accelerates, reinforced by methane released from the seabed.
A warmer Arctic seems to be disrupting flows of air around the globe, so it is not a steady process of warming for everyone and the consequences for rainfall are also unpredictable.
So it’s better to talk about ”climate change” than simply ”global warming” and the changes are having serious effects already.
Whilst the UK has had its wettest summer, the US has had its driest July on record.
This drought has destroyed 45% of the corn crop, and 35% of the soya bean crop. These are already pushing up food prices around the world, including the UK.
We can’t afford to scoff at the idea of climate change we are all going to feel its effects over the coming years.
Andrew Llanwarne.Co-ordinator, Friends of the Earth Tayside.Broughty Ferry.
Quote attack nonsensical
Sir – In Dr Lindsay’s attack on Professor Pete Smith (September 1), he edits the professor’s quote so that it makes no sense, then dismisses it as meaningless.
The full quote was: ”I’m not saying every time there’s a flood it’s because of climate change, but we are likely to see more floods and more droughts. Extreme floods that used to happen every 50 or 100 years might occur every 20 years or 10 years, then even more frequently”.
This makes perfect sense and is the warning of a respected academic scientist. It certainly makes more sense than Dr Lindsay’s claim that: ”the one fact that everybody does accept is that the climate changes sometimes more than once in one day!”
Most people do not accept that long-term patterns change more than once a day. That is patent nonsense.
Perhaps Dr Lindsay is confusing climate with what he sees when he looks out the window, in which case he is poorly qualified to criticise Professor Smith.
James Christie.2 Dryburgh Crescent,Perth.
Is Alex having a rethink?
Sir, – Things would appear to have become a bit more subdued in the ”break away from the UK” campaign. Is our First Minister simply licking his wounds and re-thinking his strategies?
Has Mr Salmond really given any thought to the fact that the majority of Scots are quite content to continue to be citizens of the UK?
Most of us really have no wish to have any part in his ”Brigadoon” campaign. Being British, in an ever more competitive world economy, is much more important to us and ensures our security.
He is even trying to drum up support for 16 and 17-year-olds to get a vote in his referendum. Young people who do not qualify to vote in UK Parliamentary Elections, or for that matter to drink in pubs.
A recent article in the press about Shetland must have given him palpitations.
The general feeling amongst the local folk of these far-flung islands, which are just as close to Norway as Scotland, was that it would probably be in their best interests to continue to be part of the UK.
What then for the SNP’s oil-based economy since most of the oilfields are in Shetland waters?
Robert Scott.Northfield Cottage,Ceres.
Enthralled by performances
Sir, – Over the last three Thursday evenings I have attended the Dundee Schools Musicals: Cats, Summer Holiday and Les Miserables.
I have left each evening with a sense of wonder at the sheer talent the young people involved have displayed. As a lover of musicals I was constantly enthralled by the emotion, acting and voices of all the cast members. The standard was high throughout.
Our young people and schools often get a bad press, here was a reminder of the joy of youth; their energy and commitment evident.
My congratulations to all involved.
I didn’t know any of the performers but there must have been many proud parents and friends in Dundee over the last three weeks.
Eleanor Mands.2 Balmyle Road,Broughty Ferry.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL. Letters should be accompanied by an address and a daytime telephone number.