OF COURSE there is natural variability in the climate.


But the examples given by Colin Moyes (Letters, April 10) – times when the Thames froze or when grapes grew north of Newcastle miss the point and, more importantly, ignore the huge amount of work that has gone on by scientists.


Met Office records for the UK show that the top 10 warmest years since 1884 have all occurred since 2002.


But it’s better to look at global average temperatures which show much less variability than a particular country.


Globally the top 10 years since 1884 have all been since 2005, and the past 6 years have been the hottest.


It is well worth spending a few minutes studying the Met Office climate dashboard which shows clear warming trends in modern times allied to a big rise in CO2.


Careful analysis has shown that volcanoes contribute little to this warming and generally have a temporary cooling effect, contrary to what Mr Moyes claims.


Going much further back in the past, scientists have measured CO2 in ice cores and estimated temperatures using various ‘proxies’, and the correlations are clear.


The evidence is now overwhelming that manmade emissions of greenhouse gases are seriously affecting the climate.


This is not scaremongering it is the findings from careful, painstaking work carried out by hundreds of specialist teams over many years.


Let us not discredit these scientists by promoting simplistic arguments that lack rigour and real understanding.


NIGEL BUTLER
Venator Place, Wimborne