To the editor: Dr. Z. Hruza’s fringe perspective on climate change (Viewpoints, August 11, 06) requires a response. Dr. Hruza believes that global warming is a myth propagated by politicians and a sympathetic media. However, an overwhelming consensus exists among climatologist and other scientists from organizations such as the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that our world is warming and that human activity plays a major role. Contrary to accepted science, Dr. Hruza suggests that the 0.6 degree centigrade increase in global temperature since 1900 is within natural variation. This temperature increase represents about 20 percent of the total temperature increase observed since the last Major Ice Age some 20,000 years ago. Most of this increase occurred in just the last 30 years. Scientists agree that carbon dioxide produced by human activity is the key cause. Furthermore, computer modeling studies predict a global average increase of 3.5 degrees centigrade for the next 100 years causing sea-levels to rise between 0.1 to 0.9 meters resulting in the displacement of millions of people. Stunningly, Dr. Hruza seems to think rising sea-levels are not a real concern. Dr. Hruza suggests that present vegetation growth protects North America from excess carbon dioxide. It’s true that young American forests are effective carbon dioxide consumers, unfortunately their efficacy will decrease as the forests age. Furthermore, the most important carbon dioxide sinks are the world’s oceans, particularly the North Atlantic. The amount of carbon dioxide produced by human activity and consumed by the oceans raises the water’s acidity producing negative effects on aquatic life. Additionally, these warmer and more acidic oceans cannot consume as much carbon dioxide leading to a feedback loop producing even greater global temperatures. It’s too bad that the good doctor’s perspective is guided by political ideology rather than well-founded science. Todd Crane, PhD Chemistry West Milford