LETTER: We do influence climate change

He attacks the Glyndebourne wind turbine, moves on to say that he probably does not believe in human-influenced climate change, but then says that maybe humans are influencing it.

At the end, he calls for an independent panel of experts to tell us if climate change is really happening.

Cllr Alan Latham: your wish has been granted, as such a panel already exists!

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (aka IPCC) is the leading international body for the assessment of climate change. It was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988 to provide the world with a clear scientific view on the current state of knowledge in climate change and its potential environmental and socio-economic impacts.

What does it do?

Using the work of thousands of scientists, it “reviews and assesses the most recent scientific, technical and socio-economic information produced worldwide relevant to the understanding of climate change.

“It does not conduct any research nor does it monitor climate related data or parameters.”

IPCC is strictly neutral and independent and aims: “to provide rigorous and balanced scientific information to decision makers.

By endorsing the IPCC reports, governments acknowledge the authority of their scientific content. The work of the organization is therefore policy-relevant and yet policy-neutral, never policy-prescriptive.”

And finally, here’s a quick snippet from its latest report: “Human influence on the climate system is clear, and recent anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases are the highest in history.

“Recent climate changes have had widespread impacts on human and natural systems.

“Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, and since the 1950s, many of the observed changes are unprecedented over decades to millennia.

“The atmosphere and ocean have warmed, the amounts of snow and ice have diminished, and sea level has risen.”

In short, there’s very strong evidence that human-influenced climate change is happening.

I might add that very very few informed scientists disagree with this view. So as someone who purports to represent other people, don’t you think, Cllr Latham, that you should equip yourself with facts before waving your ignorance around in public?

Manek Dubash

Lancaster Street

Lewes