SUSAN Thomas (January 31) seems to be making the claim, which has been made by many others (including fuel industry), that our present severe weather has been created by natural causes.

If those who study climate are correct, the planet should be getting cooler when, in fact, the reverse is the case. Carbon in the atmosphere acts as a blanket which prevents heat loss from the earth. This increase in temperature results in more water being evaporated from the surface of the planet, resulting in more rain and, the increase in rising warm air increases the strength of tornadoes and hurricanes, thus higher wind speeds.

This is a problem which affects not only the UK, but the whole world.

If more and more people want to travel by road, rail and air then global warming will only get worse. Is there an answer to this problem?

The obvious first move should be to slow down the extraction of fossil fuels and, in addition, bring an end to the destruction of the rain forests. Could there be hope for the future?

If a means could be found to remove carbon from the atmosphere that would be a first step but, since it took plants millions of years to lock away carbon and make the planet habitable, I have doubts.

DERRICK HOLT, Fortnam Close, Headington