Forty four years ago, on this day, January 31, 1979 the Canberra Times’ Tony Juddery reported on a speech by American scientist Alvin Weinberg, then visiting Oz.
Weinberg was basically saying “nukes and lots of them, or else suffer climate change.”
Juddery’s take? “A visiting true believer ignores the option of solar technology.”
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136977708
The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 336ppm. As of 2024 it is 422ppm, but check here for daily measures.
The context was that Weinberg had been pretty sure about the climate problem and also sure about nuclear’s role in doing something about it since 1974, probably a lot earlier. He was on a tour in Australia, one of those typical “let’s bring out an expert, get some bums on seats, feel like we are an important outpost or colony in the boonies.”
Judderry of the Canberra Times was a colourful character and did a good job explaining it.
So 1979 a couple of weeks before the First World Climate Conference was going to happen. This was not a big deal down under. Fun fact; only one Australian WW Gibbs, of the Bureau of Meteorology went. No one from CSIRO not Pittock, Pearman, not even the boss, Brian Tucker; it just wasn’t a high priority back in the day.
What we learn
The great and the good were explaining reality to Australian political elites by the late 1970s. But yokels gonna yokel. And I guess this puts the National and Country senators (Collard etc) efforts in 1981 in perspective…
What happened next.
In November 1981 the Office of National Assessments finally did a report.
The polymath and Science Minister (1983-1990) Barry Jones got hold of the issue. Finally, in 1986 things began to move.
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:
January 31, 2002 – Antarctic ice shelf “Larsen B” begins to break up.
January 31, 1990 – Environmental Racism – then and now… Guest post by @SakshiAravind