Climate Conundrum

"Protecting Mother Nature" [July 21-28] makes the statement, "Now that there is consensus that global climate change is happening...."

Consensus in this context leads people to believe that this is settled science. There are misconceptions about greenhouse gases. Many greenhouse gases are present naturally in the atmosphere, whereas only a few greenhouse gases are a consequence of human activity.

Norm Whitehouse
Spring, Texas

Global warming is undeniable. In fact, according to ocean sediment data and glacial retreat records, the Earth has been warming for an estimated 250 years. There is ample scientific evidence to correlate this global warming episode with natural cycles but little evidence to show that the increase in CO2 over the last century has any significant impact. The unscientific consensus further assumes that the effects of global warming are necessarily undesirable, when, in fact, the benefits of a warmer Earth in terms of increased food production and increased rainfall may equate to a net plus for the world.

Ted Adams
Edina, Minnesota.