SIR – I read an interesting article in the magazine The Week in which the author asks:  “What the scientists are saying...”

He suggests that there is need for a drastic plan to save our coasts.

We may be able to prevent a catastrophic rise in sea levels  – we would have to  “sacrifice”  Antarctica to do it. 

So say the scientists behind a preposterous proposal to pump billions of tonnes of snow onto the West Antarctic ice sheet in order to prevent it breaking up.

The scheme would involve building at least 12,000  wind turbines which would power scores of giant pumping stations.

These would make it possible to extract sea water  (which would probably then have to be treated in desalination plants) and pipe it uphill into snow cannons which would blast trillions of tonnes of snow over the shrinking ice sheet.

 While the scientists admit the project would have a potentially catastrophic impact on the world’s biggest wilderness they suggest it could be our best option.

Most climatologists believe that if global temperatures rise by 2 degrees C above pre-industrial levels   - and many think this is now inevitable   - the entire Antarctic ice sheet is likely to break up. 

This would cause sea levels to rise by up to five metres potentially submerging many low-level cities, including New York, Cape Town, Shanghai and London.

 Wendy Hands

Upton-upon-Severn