Is talk of global warming being caused by CO2 emissions just a lot of hot air?

Did you catch the C4 ITV programme "The Great Global Warming Swindle" last night at 9pm.Vivid opening images of a violent environment ,with widespread serious flooding and hurricane winds, were introduced with a message of comfort for us all:It's not your fault.What the self-serving scientists have been telling you is just not true.

This was full in your face stuff.The CO2 emissions argument, as the prime cause of climate change, was robustly dismissed by several scientists with some snappy graphics in support.Natural cycles in the sun's activity were apparently to blame. Somehow, it all just did not all hang together for me. The view was strongly voiced that the current environmentalists ,contending a man-made explanation for climate change, were nothing more than a number of people of little science forming a consensus,creating jobs for themselves,peddling speculation, and in the process suppressing the rightful aspirations of developing countries.

Key immediate problem issues facing the environment are the ever increasing demands globally for energy and the need to find alternatives to fossil fuels,the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to minimise air pollution and physical environmental damage.Seems a worthwhile cause to me.

In the C4 programme ,no debate was countenanced to challenge its conclusions.I was particularly impressed,though, by the comment of one the guest speakers who suggested that we should not be afraid of CO2 because,after all,we are all made of the stuff. Enough said,I thought.