As is frequently done, Phil Roe (A lot of hot air, Letters, March 17), confused the weather with the climate.

Weather is what it’s like outside our door; climate is that weather averaged over several years.

Climate data shows that global temperatures have increased by 1°C over the last 100 years. Have a look at the data for yourself on the Met Office website.

We may never know with 100 per cent certainty that climate change is happening and that we have caused it, or at least by then it will be too late.

The question is, what risk are we prepared to accept?

If you were told by a doctor that your diet was 95 per cent likely to be what was causing you health problems and that if you didn’t change your diet you would develop cancer, you’d change your diet.

That is what scientists are telling us; it is 95 per cent probable that our diet of CO2 emissions is causing temperature rises and that if we don’t do anything about it this our entire ecosystem will be damaged.

This has already started, but I don’t want to find out what all the impacts will be.

Jennie Dodson, Grange Garth, York.