Planet Earth could become uninhabitable within the next 100 years

Doug Hurst (Letters, 25/6) is right. China’s CO2 emissions are at least 20 times greater than Australia’s and climate is driven primarily by the sun and oceanic circulation. But he is wrong to say the sun and the oceans, rather than atmospheric CO2 concentration, drive climate change.

For 800,000 years, atmospheric CO2 concentration varied between 180 and 280 parts per million, while mean global temperature oscillated between plus-1 and minus-8 degrees of the long-term average — in almost perfect lock-step with CO2.

When humans began large-scale burning of coal in the Industrial Revolution, global CO2 began rising more rapidly, and is now 417 ppm. At the same time, global temperature began increasing more rapidly, breaking through the plus-1 degree barrier.

On the present temperature trajectory, large parts of Earth will be uninhabitable within the next 100 years, and there will be no going back. Carbon dioxide does cause climate change, and a global effort to reduce emissions is increasingly urgent.

Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin, ACT

Given Labor’s long-standing opposition to nuclear power and a possible power shortage (and higher prices) perhaps a survey organised by The Australian of ordinary people as to whether they oppose or welcome nuclear power would be a good idea.

Australia is one of the few developed countries in the world without it and the only OECD country to shun this power source. The results may even convince Anthony Albanese that it is time for Labor to have another look at its policy. But perhaps we’re smarter than all those countries enjoying it.

Peter Curlewis, Yass, NSW

Judicial body needed

Revelations of the alleged sexual harassment by former High Court justice Dyson Heydon have been a truly stunning bombshell. And I think everyone would agree that the courage, fortitude and professional sacrifice of the victims in coming forward is to be commended.

But there are concerns that procedural fairness has not been afforded to Heydon, in particular that he has not been given the opportunity to provide his version of events. Therefore, it seems an opportune time to establish a federal judicial commission to deal with complaints against lawyers and judges. This would go some way to restoring public confidence in the administration of justice.

Angela Kueter-Luks, Bruce, ACT

A worrying aspect of the Dyson Heydon matter is Chief Justice Susan Kiefel’s unquestioning acceptance of the alleged victims’ claims without giving the male accused the right to give his side of the story.

The clamour to condemn that is the hallmark of today’s PC brigade of gender equality and victimhood, appears to have infiltrated the court.

In this environment, it is very difficult not to be cynical about Heydon’s chances of a fair go in an independent judicial review conducted by his peers who have sniffed the PC wind blowing through the court building.

John Bell, Heidelberg Heights, Vic

ABC has great value

The attacks on the ABC and the university sector should concern all Australians, not just those who were thinking of embarking on an arts degree or journalism career.

Our best drama, comedy and documentary programs invariably get their first run on the ABC. Where would we be as a nation without Four Corners, without Kath and Kim?

It was ABC reporting that stirred the Gillard government into the royal commission into child sex abuse. You don’t need a STEM degree to add up the number of deaths in custody, but a history major or one in psychology might help you to understand why they have happened, and how best to minimise them in the future.

W. Flynn, Albany, WA