Martin Durkin's programme “The Great Global Warming Swindle” (Channel 4, 8 March 2007) provided a useful and reflective background to the current debate in BSj letters. “The acceptance of the orthodox view that unbridled carbon dioxide emissions caused by humans will bring an apocalyptic future has become an act of faith,” the programme suggested. In other words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident” might be the creed for the environmentalist lobby, who now regard gainsayers as oddballs and stooges of vested interests.

These points, I suppose, were predictable enough from the programme’s title and expectations were fulfilled in the 90 minutes or so of transmission. But, interestingly, the programme went on to garner evidence that anti-industrialisation pressures in the “North” are putting pressures on developing countries in the “South” of the world’s divide, and an impressive array of scientists risked being labelled as heretics by testifying against the politically prevailing view.

“With the politicisation of the scientific review process, global warming alarm is now beyond reason,” the programme suggested. “The scientific peer group review process has been downgraded with the politicisation of the climate campaign.” Here is the stark warning for us as a learned society when responding to the demands of government. Right now, nothing matters more than taking a balanced, informed view on these issues, whether we are “believers, atheists or agnostics”, as CIBSE's director of policy puts it.

Ian Brown, FCIBSE, Trustee

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Building Sustainable Design