Thirty one years ago today, New Scientist lays it out…
Fred Pearce article in New scientist about IPCC World Lays odds… 8-4-1995
The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 361ppm. As of 2026 it is 428ppm, but check here for daily measures.
The broader context was that the New Scientist magazine had been going since the late 50s, And in an early issue, it had reported on carbon dioxide build up link and through the 70s and 80s, it had been regularly reported on the topic.
The specific context was that Fred Piearce had been at the Berlin COP which had just finished, and it was clear that progress was going to be much slower than it had initially been hoped and it needed to be. And Pearce was not stupid, and he was not hopeful about our chances of not being incredibly stupid.
Pearce has a new book out, btw. Despite It All: A Handbook for Climate Hopefuls
What I think we can learn from this is that a decent science journalist is a relatively good guide to life.
What happened next: Well, the COPs are still going, but the emissions have climbed and climbed and climbed and the atmospheric concentrations are now climbing very rapidly, and we are in a world of shit of our own devising. What do we do about it? I don’t know that there is much that we can do. To be honest, why am I doing this? Because I can, because it’s a habit, because I don’t know why I’m doing this.
What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.
Also on this day:
April 8, 1970 – Australian National University students told about C02 build-up…
April 8, 1980 – UK civil servant Crispin Tickell warns Times readers…
April 8, 1995 – Australian environment minister says happy with “Berlin Mandate”
April 8, 1995 – Journo points out the gamble on climate – All Our Yesterdays