Re: ‘Global warming results overstated' (The Weekend Sun, January 27).

In reply to B Johnson's letter: Rest assured that, for every scientist he can find who publicly denies the scientific basis of anthropogenic global warming and climate change, there are at least 50 other equally 'highly qualified international scientists” heavily involved in every aspect of the research who are sincerely convinced of its reality. Check out the websites of the many involved international scientific institutes etc and you will discover this argument, based on vast amounts of research, was scientifically debated and finally put to rest years ago. Forget the sceptics and politicians' spin. Extreme weather events and rising sea levels are real and will continue to escalate. We're stuck with it for at least 50 more years anyway, but the speed - and hope of eventually halting it - depends on the global response to reducing carbon emissions.

Unfortunately, many of us have been only too willing to fall for the ‘alternative facts' of the campaign cunningly initiated by the big oil companies to discredit the science. After all, who among us is willing to believe that, unless we make the necessary urgent sacrifices to our lifestyles, our descendants will see their beaches, seaport cities, low-lying farmland and their snow-capped mountains disappear - and much, much worse? For anyone who doesn't believe this scientifically-based scenario –- work it out for yourself!

P Otway, Omokoroa.