In response to climate change denier R Smith of Matua - with their letter ‘Waking up to the hard facts on big issues' (The Weekend Sun, September 30) - belittling G Southon's concern, I recommend he Google up NASA and NIWA to learn some actual scientific facts.

There he will discover the reality of the accelerating sea level rise and the increasing worldwide incidence of extreme weather – storms, floods, heatwaves and droughts.

He also will discover both the West Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets - together capable of raising sea levels by 12 metres - have already begun to collapse into the sea despite a possible small increase in Antarctic snow accumulation. Only the exact speed of the resulting devastating sea level rise is still uncertain, and only a major reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions can slow it down.

It is true China's total emissions are still colossal, but on a per-person basis our emissions are way ahead. And be aware Europe and the United Kingdom are light years ahead of us in recognising the urgency of action. They will be very quick to follow up their grumblings over our unavoidably long ‘carbon miles' and threaten to blacklist our exports unless our actions at least match our politicians' rhetoric.

P Otway, Omokoroa.