Twenty two years ago, on this day, June 29th, 2004.
On 29 and 30 June 2004, Global Access Partners (GAP) brought together a number of business entrepreneurs, utilities representatives, architects, planners, infrastructure investors, scientists and regulators in the environmental arena and building industry, to address future directions and emerging opportunities in the core area of the ‘Sustainable Built Environment’. Supported by Australian Government and Business, the GAP Forum on Ecological Sustainability 2004 launched a practical ‘Year of the Built Environment’ initiative -The Formation Of an Australian National Committee on Business Building Sustainable Cities
The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 377ppm. As of 2026, when this post was published, it is 430ppm. This matters because the more carbon dioxide in the air, the more heat gets trapped. The more heat, the more extreme weather events. You can make it more complicated than that if you want, but really, it’s not. Fwiw, I have a tattoo of the Keeling Curve on my left forearm.
The broader context for this was that the third IPCC report has come out. People are getting more concerned about CO2 build up in general, the international negotiations seem hopelessly clogged. At times like this, people become more interested in what they can do in their own back yard.
What I think we can learn is this: We are so doomed.
What happened next: More technocratic approaches, more soothing lullabies that everything can continue. More or less is the same, more emissions, higher concentrations, etc.
You need to cut and paste the list of phrases and links into the top of these pages. I do you wait aquatic guys?
On this topic, you might like these other posts on All Our Yesterdays
References
You can see the chronological list of All Our Yesterdays “on this day” posts here.
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.
If you want to get involved, let me know.
If you want to invite me on your podcast, that would boost my ego and probably improve the currently pitiful hit-rate on this site (the two are not-unrelated).
Also on this day:
June 29, 1956 – Just DRIVE, she said…
June 29, 1971 – American Coal Association prez says greenies might pose national security threat
June 29, 1979 – G7 says climate change matters. Yes, 1979