A call for open debate in New Zealand

After 10 years of cooling global temperatures, it’s heartening to see that Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Jan Wright (Features, Dec 23), still clings to her unshakeable belief in global warming and the objectivity and status of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
For many, including climate- change deniers, not only is such utterly one-sided certainty incompatible with complex and contradictory evidence, but, in the real world, the debate has moved on. The recent Bali and Poznan conferences failed for a reason.
I am most concerned by the unwarranted attacks by Dr Wright on the ever-growing numbers of sceptics. No doubt they are a pain to Dr Wright, but, from what I have seen over 15 years, deniers have only ever wanted an open and polite debate where they can get a fair go.
An open and enlightened democracy like ours needs both sides of the debate aired. That is why newspapers such as The Dominion Post, and better websites, show both sides of the debate fairly and equally.
Dr Wright should applaud sceptics getting equal space in the media, which is evidence of a thriving parliamentary democracy and a scientifically literate public.
Dr MARTEN HUTT
Kilbirnie

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