Re: R Smith, who wrote ‘The tide is turning – people are waking up' and J Mills, who penned ‘Those manipulating the masses' (The Weekend Sun, February 24), are prime examples of people who've become part of the sceptical, often hysterical, worldwide campaign against climate science started by the big oil companies based on ‘alternative facts'.

The nasty secrets of climate change denial are revealed in Naomi Ereskes' excellent book ‘Merchants of Doubt'. And yes, Hitler knew how to manipulate the truth too – with disastrous consequences for the world.

For those who, perhaps rightly, feel antagonistic towards the murky politics surrounding climate change, my advice is simple. Cut right through the politics to the scientists at the coalface to discover the truth for yourselves.

Google up such institutions as the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, The Antarctic Centre (Victoria University), the National Snow and Ice Data Center, NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Hadley Climate Research Centre etc and you will find remarkable agreement between thousands of international scientists in diverse fields of research. Manmade climate change is real and is happening all around us at an ever-quickening pace.

Alternatively, if we can still convince ourselves it is all a colossal hoax - perhaps even a Chinese one, according to US President Donald Trump - then our consciences remain clear as we continue to live the good life without a care for the future.

P Otway, Omokoroa.