Dear Editor, I must refute the comments expressed by ‘I. Pilsner’ of Weston (CW 17 June 2021, p20) concerning the issue of climate change as explored by Gary Humphies (CW 3 June 2021, p6). I am a retired teacher of Geography, teaching the discipline for three decades. I am also a Climatologist with a career in weather and climate observations spanning half a century. I have kept records in Canberra since 1983. I am a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society.
I. Pilsner, like many climate sceptics, is good at cherry picking weather data. He is quite correct in writing that we have seen some minimum temperature records broken recently, due to an energised depression crossing southeast Australia dragging frigid Antarctic air from well south of the continent which interacted with an inflow of very moist tropical air from south of Indonesia moving across the continent. While not unusual during winter, this system was powerful enough to push huge old trees across power lines and homes in the Dandenong Ranges and cause a major flood event in Gippsland. There is no doubt in my mind that warmer than usual sea surface temperatures in the Australian region supercharged this storm. Human emissions of CO2 over the last two centuries, a “greenhouse gas”, have caused both air and ocean temperatures to rise at a rate not witnessed in millions of years. Observations by thousands of weather stations and satellites confirm this increase. Physics 101 validates these observations. As one sparrow does not itself make a summer, nor does one cold outbreak disprove the reality of human induced climate change.
I showed An Inconvenient Truth to my senior classes, but I ensured that I explained the science behind the documentary. If anything, the evidence gathered since its premiere has further supported its conclusions that we face a looming crisis if action is not taken to reduce greenhouse emissions. I know Tim Flannery personally and professionally. In response to my question, he told me that the quote ascribed to him was taken totally out of context. Perth does depend on Desal Plants to supplement its water supply. Other coastal cities have also constructed such plants to guard against water shortages as the climate across Southern Australia continues to become drier and warmer in trend terms.
As a teacher who always aimed to truthfully inform my students, I take umbrage at your accusations that we are indoctrinating students. We teach facts not opinions, ideologies or fiction to our young people. I have great faith in my fellow teachers.
- G. O’Brien FRMetS, Climate Watch Australia, Gilmore ACT
