Sir, - Seldom have I encountered a letter in which the writer so arrogantly expresses an opinion on a subject of which they are so ignorant. Obviously Damian W. Bryne (February 7th), when stating that global climate change is a "completely unsubstantiated argument", is not aware of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a panel of the world's leading climate scientists. In the draft of their third assessment report they state unequivocally that global warming is occurring and that it is caused by human activity.
Representatives of over 160 governments, who met last November to discuss reducing emissions of greenhouse gases, were unanimous in their acceptance of the overwhelming scientific evidence on global warming. Even the generally conservative editorial of the New Scientist (November 27th, 1999), stated ominously: "it is now time for governments to show that they can act as one to halt the coming nightmare." The case is indeed closed. - Yours, etc., Cllr Paul Edison,
Moore Street, Co Clare.