cc: "Hulme Michael Prof (ENV)" date: Sun, 1 Feb 2004 07:58:16 -0000 from: "Boswell Andrew Dr (ITCS) s139" subject: FW: Global climate change is a reality to: "Read Rupert Dr (SOC)" -----Original Message----- From: Boswell Andrew Dr (ITCS) s139 To: 'EDPletters@archant.co.uk' Sent: 01/02/04 07:56 Subject: Global climate change is a reality For your letters page: John Jewell's letter (January 27), which criticises the Kyoto Treaty on science and cost, is barely worth reply. Why? Because the science to which he appeals in attacking mainstream Climate Change Science is virtually worthless. Richard Lindzen's attacks on Kyoto receive about the same level of esteem among serious climatologists, for example our colleagues in the Tyndall Centre at Norwich's own UEA, as flat-earthers received from their 'scientific colleagues', a few centuries back. It is not scare-mongering to talk of global climate change as a reality, along with its drastic consequences. For example, recently Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute has uncovered a change "of remarkable amplitude" in the circulation of the waters of the North Atlantic that could 'turn off' the Gulf Stream within a generation. Scientists are evaluating the findings, and an expert from the world renowned Potsdam Institute, collaborators of UEA, has said it would cause severe regional cooling to Britain, whilst the tropics would start to fry under the effects of global warming. Is this the legacy that we want to bequeath to our children and grandchildren? Mr Jewell also implies implementing Kyoto would be too costly. But a Tyndall Centre study at http://www.tyndall.ac.uk/publications/working_papers/wp4_summary.shtml demonstrates high cost estimates for the US economy are often flawed. Indeed, Ute Collier, Head of WWF UK Climate Change Programme, said "There will be economic benefits for those countries who will implement the treaties". This may be why six US states and six Canadian states, representing a population of over 100 million people, have already started to implement Kyoto regionally despite the US government. We in the Green Party believe passionately -- based on the science -- that there is an URGENT need to drastically reduce global carbon emissions, and human-induced climate-change. Because of that, we applaud the local CRed initiative, and urge all readers of the EDP to contribute in every way they can to this campaign. Dr. Rupert Read 17 Merton Rd. & Dr. Andrew Boswell 23 Havelock Rd., NORWICH GREEN PARTY. Tel.: 01603 592079/592349