Nuclear winter

Press, 19 December 1989, Page 12

Nuclear winter

Sir,—Some months ago you carried an article debunking the nuclear winter theory. However, last December the United Nations General Assembly voted, 145-0, to give “the widest possible distribution” to a U.N.commissioned international report supporting the nuclear winter theory. This endorsed earlier findings, stating that “none would escape the awful consequences of a major nuclear war even if the theatre of conflict was geographically restricted to a small part of the northern hemisphere.” The report concludes: “The direct effects of a major nuclear exchange could kill hundreds of millions; the indirect effects could kill billions.” Nuclear weapons cuts, so far, represent only about 5 per cent of the total. In these hopeful times of change in Eastern Europe and East-West relationships, we must not forget that we remain under terrible threat from these enormous stockpiles. The recent successful launching of a rocket by Iraq should remind us that nuclear proliferation remains a deadly game — Yours, etc.,

F. M. DAVIS, Regional representative, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. December 3, 1989.