Use more discretion on climate letters

The Daily Herald has recently published a number of letters spreading misinformation about impacts of carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels on Earth's climate (see recent letters by Richard McEwan Dec. 10, Nancy Thorner Dec 1, and Richard Murdock Dec. 7).

These letters propagate multiple discredited claims, for example that there has been "no global warming for 18 years." This claim has no data to back it and is false based on easily available evidence from multiple reliable sources.

Another letter quotes a 2012 Forbes article by a professor of architecture to deny that there is a consensus among scientists concerning the reality of climate change. This is a blatant distortion as shown by readily available information, for example surveys of scientific literature on climate showing overwhelming agreement concerning human-caused climate change.

At what point is the willingness to let readers speak their minds outweighed by a concern with the truth of the claims in letter submissions? Climate change is a difficult and crucial topic, with the potential for damaging outcomes for earth and future generations.

I hope the editors will consider this and avoid publishing letters containing blatant falsehoods and distortions.

Wharton Sinkler

Des Plaines