RECENTLY you published a letter which appeared to deny the harmful effects of man-made greenhouse gases. Sadly, there is no escaping the extremely dangerous effects of these greenhouse gases.

Indeed, we have had three recent reports from authoritative bodies which document the past and the future impact of these gases. The intergovernmental panel on climate change, the Met office and the US government have all recently produced reports which document the changes that have already taken place and the dangers we face in the future.

In summary if we continue along the current pathway, sea levels will rise, millions will be flooded out of their homes, millions (possibly billions) of people will be without a reliable fresh water supply, diseases will spread, there may be food shortages, many species will become extinct and the coral reefs will disappear.

The American report stated: “While mitigation and adaptation efforts have expanded substantially in the last four years, they do not yet approach the scale considered necessary to avoid substantial damages to the economy, environment, and human health over the coming decades.”

We can avoid disaster, but we need to all work quickly and collaboratively. The case for climate change denial is well and truly destroyed by these three reports. Let’s not kid ourselves any longer - we need to act now.

Giles Archibald

Leader South Lakeland District Council