A chara, – It is somewhat ironic that the same day that Dr Gareth P Keeley (November 21st) criticises both Deirdre De Burca (November 9th) and the wider scientific community for accepting the “theory” of anthropogenic climate change science, the United Nations weather agency publishes a report stating that measured concentrations of global warming gases have reached record levels; levels exceeding even the worst case model scenarios previously determined by the UN’s expert climate change panel.
It is truly disturbing to suggest as Dr Keeley does that “global warming is an issue for the contended middle class”.
Dr Keeley is obviously living in a glass bubble when he doesn’t understand the basic fact that the people who are being most affected by its consequences are the poor, as witnessed with extreme weather events throughout the world from in places like Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, China, the continent of Africa and south America. It is the poor and disadvantaged who must deal with the consequences on climate change as it impacts on drinking water resources, agriculture and food production, sea level rise, flooding and the health and well-being of communities throughout the world.
Perhaps Dr Keeley may not be aware but the climate change “lobby” includes the International Energy Agency (IEA) which also just published a stark reminder to policy-makers and governments that we are fast approaching the last chance to combat dangerous climate change. The IEA is very clear in its observation that if we don’t act now to reduce our carbon emissions the opportunity to limit dangerous climate change will be lost forever.
Dr Keeley argues that economic development takes precedence over environmental protection and perhaps the very survival of humanity.
However, if a fraction of the same economic resources that have been used to pay off private banking debts were invested to secure our economic development through investment in clean low- carbon energy resources, then the economic future and sustainability of this country and our world would be much more secure for all its citizens. – Yours, etc,