J Fairburn and N Harvey (Weekend Sun, February 7), are repeating their old conviction that climate change is a hoax by ‘lefties', ‘greenies', and/or socialists and the UN. Please, set aside the politics and fake news sources for a moment and take the time to study and understand the science, such as the unequivocal evidence proving the soaring CO2 levels are man-induced and that our planet's climate is reacting almost exactly as predicted decades ago.

For examples of increasingly extreme weather patterns in our own region you only need to consider how the devastating Australian drought, heat and bushfires are now being followed by exceptionally intense floods. Or, a similar pattern of severe drought and high temperatures in the North Island while the southern South Island is battered yet again by floods. And surely no-one could be unaware of the numerous reports of devastating weather extremes overseas, or the increasingly rapid melting of polar and alpine ice - including our Southern Alps.

If you don't like the inevitable politics of climate change, blame the politicians not the science. Scientists' only interest in politics is their frustration in getting the politicians to actually listen and act on their dire warnings.

Peter Otway, Omokoroa