Obituary: Peter Toynbee

By ARNOLD PICKMERE

* Scientist and climate change sceptic. Died aged 79.

In his working life Peter Toynbee was a chemical engineer who pioneered research in fuel technology with the former Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. And he was a director of the New Zealand Coal Research Association.

But he really came to public notice after his retirement in 1988 with a seemingly indefatigable campaign for the truth in climate science - writing papers, articles, letters to editors and several books.

For years he insisted that the ozone hole over Antarctica was not caused by man-made chemicals but was a natural and short-lived annual phenomenon.

He also argued that some of the assumptions made about the greenhouse effect were mistaken. He was prepared to accept that the greenhouse effect was real and that atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were increasing steadily.

But he also advanced a list of 10 facts which, he argued, together showed that increases in carbon dioxide were unlikely to cause anything more than a minor increase in global warming, an increase so small as to be of no concern.

These included the assertion that most of the world's temperature measuring stations were in built up areas which, with increasing urbanisation, was causing higher temperatures to be recorded. He argued that global warming would be strictly limited.

Toynbee, who lost a long battle with asthma, is survived by his wife Leila.