The writer claims the story is based on Dr White’s “opinion based on a hypothesis about sea-level rise”.

When discussing climate change it is necessary to be clear about the difference between scientific hypotheses and scientific facts.  The science underlying human-induced climate change is based on a small number of facts:

FACT 1: Every part of the earth’s surface continuously gives off infra-red radiation known as “black body” radiation.  This scientific fact has been known to science since the 19th century.

FACT 2:  Oxygen and nitrogen in the earth’s atmosphere do not absorb significant amounts of energy from this infra-red radiation but carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases do.  This again is a scientific fact known since the 19th century.

FACT 3:  Human beings, by burning coal, oil and natural gas are converting billions of tonnes of atmospheric oxygen into carbon dioxide.  As a result the amount of energy trapped in the world’s atmosphere and oceans is steadily rising.

FACT 4:  This additional energy in the system becomes apparent in many ways such as an increasing frequency and intensity of storms and cyclones; record maximum temperatures; and rising oceanic temperatures leading to increasing water volumes and the sea-level rise Dr White was pointing out.

If any scientist can conclusively demonstrate to other scientists working in the field of climate science that human-induced climate change is not occurring, he or she will be able to claim a Nobel Prize in physics.  None has yet done so.

In his letter, Jim Gibson quotes Dr Fred Singer as one scientist who does not accept human-induced climate change.  Anyone who wishes to see a critique of Dr Singer’s views can find it at www.skepticalscience.com. The vast majority of scientists working in the field of climate science have not found Dr Singer convincing.

Bernard Verrall

Sunshine Bay