Author: drmarchudson

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On This Day

On this Day: January 4th – research funding (1977), reports (1982),  denial (2005) and warnings (2015) – just another day for you and me in the Anthropocene/Fafocene

On this day forty nine (!) years ago, as the Carter administration was about to begin, a US politician introduced legislation to boost climate research fundings. This wasn’t the first time – legislation usually fails the first time round… 

January 4, 1977 – US politician introduces #climate research legislation

The Global 2000 report, another Carter-era report, had been released to some fan-fare (and pushback) in 1980. Here an update was published…

January 4, 1982 – Global 2000 Report updated

The denial machine ground into gear in the late 1980s. By the early 2000s it was in very high gear, spewing out any amount of rubbish, to comfort fossil fuel executives, pusillanimous politicians and old white people who didn’t want to accept they had backed the wrong horse.

January 4, 2005 – Senator James Inhofe exemplifies denialist bullshit

On this day in 2015 Christine Milne laid it out (again). But she was only a shrill hysterical housewife – so, safely ignored…   

January 4, 2015 – Christine Milne warns about extreme weather events, knackered infrastructure etc.

Are there other climate-related events that happened on this day that you think deserve a shout out? If so, let me know.

As ever, invite me on your podcast, etc etc.

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On This Day

On this Day: January 3rd –  transitions, Greenpeace, smoke and mirrors

Forty one years ago today, in the context of increasing alarm among scientists, a report about what you’d need to do to US energy systems (a LOT) was published.

January 3, 1984 – US report on energy transition to combat climate released.

Thirty eight years ago today a brilliant early “cli-fi” novel was reviewed. You should read this novel – it is astonishing.

January 3, 1988 – The Sea, The Summer, early Australian cli-fi, is reviewed.

Greenpeace try to shame George HW Bush into action, ahead of the Rio Earth Summit, as he visits Australia.  Didn’t work, but what else could they do?

Jan 3, 1992 – Greenpeace vs POTUS on Climate Change

Scientists again highlighting the bullshit of George HW Bush’s son, Dubya, who had won the crucial 2000 election… 5-4 in the Supreme Court…

January 3, 2007 – Smoke, Mirrors and Hot Air, says Union of Concerned Scientists

Are there other climate-related events that happened on this day that you think deserve a shout out? If so, let me know.

As ever, invite me on your podcast, etc etc.

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NotClimate

January 2, 1893 – The Financial Times becomes a pinko rag

On January 2nd 1893 

“the FT began printing on light pink paper to distinguish it from the similarly named Financial News: at the time, it was also cheaper to print on unbleached paper (several other more general newspapers, such as The Sporting Times, had the same policy), but nowadays it is more expensive as the paper has to be dyed specially.”

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were at 295 parts per million. As of 2026 they are 428 ppm at and rising rapidly.  Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think. 

Btw, the point(s) of this project is ….  the how, the who the hell am I and the what do I currently believe?

The context was

Lots of newspapers – how are you going to distinguish yourself?

Why care?

No reason –  I love the Financial Times because it, more or less is unashamed celebration of capitalism. It’s intelligent. It’s what you try to read occasionally to make sense of the world. 

(How) does it connect to climate change?

It doesn’t, but the FT’s coverage, with caveats, is worth your time.

What happened next

It has stayed salmon pink

How does it help us understand the world?

It doesn’t, but if you read the FT, the Morning Star, Private Eye, the London Review of Books and listen to some well-chosen podcasts, then a tolerably accurate picture emerges. Having a lot of background knowledge of history, sociology, political and economic theory helps too?

How does it help us act in the world?

Grotius’ last words, innit?

The other things that you could read about this or watch 

The Herman and Chomsky propaganda model

What do you think?

If you have opinions or info about this, or other things that happened on this day that are worth knowing, let me know!

Also on this day

Wikipedia

Working Class History

What Happened on January 2 | HISTORY

Bonus –

“On 2 January 1950, the 300 meat porters at Smithfield’s market in London launched a “lightning” strike completely shutting down London’s meat supply in protest at bosses’ refusal to employ one man who did not have the required references. The workers claimed the man had excellent character and should be employed pending the arrival of references. 1,200 t of meat was held up, at a time when many shops had run low due to the holiday period. This is a video about the dispute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig4pmulS5uU More info about class struggle in this period in this account of workers struggles under the post-war Labour government”: https://libcom.org/history/how-labour-governed-1945-1951

Also, this

El Vaquita fake march – WCH | Stories

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On This Day

On this Day: January 2 – of communists, green fatigue, Trump and wishlists.

On this day 71 years ago, the Daily Worker asked “Are Winters Getting Warmer?” and mentioned carbon dioxide build-up. (It. Was. Not. A. State. Secret.)

January 2, 1955 – Commie newspaper covers climate

Eighteen years ago someone made the elementary (and depressing) point that after the hype must come the backlash, while ignoring the fact that this is engineered and amplified, that we lack the democratic structures to turn concern into political power (those structures, never perfect, have been successfully attacked these last 40 years).

January 2, 2008 – tiresome (but sound) “Green Fatigue” warning is made

Sixteen years ago, famed climatologist and stable genius Donald J. Trump delivered his considered view on carbon dioxide build-up.

Jan 2, 2014- “This very expensive GLOBAL WARMING bullshit has got to stop

Ten years ago, Australian environmental non-governmental organisations did what they do – another wishlist. January 2, 2016 – Australian environmental NGOs write another wish list

Are there other climate-related events that happened on this day that you think deserve a shout out? If so, let me know.

As ever, invite me on your podcast, etc etc.

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On This Day Uncategorized

On this Day: January 1st – Six climate milestones

Welcome to a new style of All Our Yesterdays post! From the last four years of posting, there’s clearly a lot of stuff going on.

On January 1, 1958, American policymakers were reported to be worried that if THEY didn’t control the weather, those dirty commies would… January 1, 1958 – control the weather before the commies do! -Twelve years later, arch red-baiter President Nixon, had gone all Greta (remember, less than a week after his inauguration the Santa Barbara Oil Spill served as the start of the modern American environmental protest movement.) saying it was “literally now or never.”

January 1, 1970 – President Nixon says 1970s is the critical environmental decade – “It is literally now or never.”

Eleven years after that, a book by scientist William Kellogg and sociologist Robert Schware was published, the fruit of various labours under the auspices of the Aspen Institute.

January 1, 1981- “Climate Change And Society” published

Seven years later, after scientific consensus had hardened even further, another “conservative” (Radical right) president, the by-now-quite-senile Ronald Reagan put his signature to the Global Climate Protection Act – one of the various motherhood and apple-pie efforts by various US senators in the aftermath of the 1985 Villach conference.

January 1, 1988 – President Reagan reluctantly signs “Global Climate Protection Act” #CreditClaiming (Later that year the carbon dioxide problem finally became a political issue, thanks to a bunch of factors.)

The EU, which had in the early 1990s tried to get a carbon tax off the ground finally managed to start an emissions trading scheme. This made banks, consultants and economists happy.  

January 1, 2005 – the EU Emissions Trading Scheme begins.

Finally, famed (and far-too-often-right) climate scientist James Hansen warned in a newspaper interview,

January 1 2007 James Hansen – “If we fail to act, we end up with a different planet”

Well, we failed to act, and the different planet is beginning to make itself obvious. Fun times in the Fafocene.

Are there other climate-related events that happened on this day that you think deserve a shout out? If so, let me know.

As ever, invite me on your podcast, etc etc.

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NotClimate

January 1, 1971 – Last cigarette advert on US TV #NotClimate

On this day, January 1,  in 1971 – TV adverts for cigarettes stop in the USA.

Veronica Hamel was the model in the last[5] cigarette commercial televised in the U.S. (for Virginia Slims, aired at 11:59 pm on January 1, 1971, on The Tonight Show).[6] Hamel had been a model in print advertisements, not just for Slims, but also for Pall Mall Gold cigarettes.[7]  

So there was presumably a prolonged battle to get cigarette advertising on television banned, presumably the Surgeon General and Republicans and Democrats together. This was back in the days when you could make the public health argument without being screamed down on grounds of free market capitalism, etc. Presumably, the tobacco companies argued freedom of speech/First Amendment rights. 

On Veronica Hamel– fun fact, she had an uncredited cameo at the beginning of Klute – a film worth watching! Also played Joyce Davenport, public defender on Hill Street Blues.

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were at 325 parts per million.

As of 2026 they are 428ppm at and rising rapidly.  Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think. 

Btw, the point(s) of this project is ….  the how, the who the hell am I and the what do I currently believe?

The context was that by the late 1960s the evidence that smoking was bad for your health was absolutely overwhelming.  And states were still expected to protect their populations, even in the face of concerted efforts by vested interests.  Ah, such innocent times…

Why care?

If you read old magazines (or fossick in digital archives as I do), you come across all these adverts for cigarettes, and they are quite arresting. If we were a sane species, then by now, adverts for fossil fuel intensive activities (flying, driving tanks etc) would have been similarly banished.

(How) does it connect to climate change?

The analogy about knowing things are bad for you, the ways the denialist campaigns worked – well, read Oreskes and Conway for the gory details.

What happened next

Advertisers kept finding new ways to push cancer sticks (“cool” characters in Hollywood movies, etc etc etc) 

Nicotine use is frequently shown in movies, historically often in return for six-figure (US$) sponsorship deals. More money is paid for a star actor to be shown using nicotine. Smokers in movies are generally healthier, more successful, and younger than actual smokers. Health effects, including coughing and addiction, are shown or mentioned in only a few percent of cases, and are less likely to be mentioned in films targeted at younger viewers.[3]: 372–374 

Regulation of nicotine marketing – Wikipedia

How does it help us understand the world?

Knowing that there was  a time when public health arguments were bipartisan and could be successful. Now we have RFK and pro-plagues – sorry “anti-vaxxer” nutjobs.

How does it help us act in the world?

Well there are various campaigns trying to ban SUV advertising and so forth. Badvertising and so on.

The source that it comes from, if necessary, 

Xxx

The other things that you could read about this or watch 

Agnotology (the creation of doubt/ignorance.

Stuff I will download and probably never read.

McAuliffe, R. (1988). The FTC and the effectiveness of cigarette advertising regulations. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 7(1), 49-64.

doi.org/10.1177/074391568800700105

What do you think?

If you have opinions or info about this, or other things that happened on this day that are worth knowing, let me know!

Also on this day

Wikipedia

Working Class History

What Happened on January 1 | HISTORY

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Australia

December 31, 1994 – “Climate Change Science: Current understanding and Uncertainties”

Thirty one years ago, on this day, December 31st, 1994,

 Rupert Myers president of AATSE on “Climate Change Science: Current Understanding and Uncertainties”

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 359ppm. As of 2025, 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 was that the climate problem had become an issue at last in 1988. Between then and 1994 there had been the release of the IPCC’s First Assessment Report, the signing of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992 and its ratification by enough nations (quite speedily) for it to become international law and for the first “Conference of the Parties” (COP) to be set up. It was due to meet in Berlin in March-April 1995.

The specific context was that there were still people knocking around wanting to emphasise the uncertainties in the “let’s not take action” direction (there are, as we have learnt to our cost, dangers of UNDERestimating impacts).

Also, there was a carbon tax proposal that was going to come to Keating’s Cabinet soon.

What I think we can learn from this – species be doomed.

What happened next – the emissions climbed, the atmospheric concentrations climbed, the temperatures climbed. Species be doomed.

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.

Further reading

Rupert Horace Myers 1921–2019 | Historical Records of Australian Science | ConnectSci

Also on this day: 

December 31, 1997 – Government slags off Australian Conservation Foundation

December 31, 2012 – Murdoch employee throws predictable inaccurate shite at Greens…

December 31, 2022 – FT publishes letter about Thatcher and Just Stop Oil

December 31, 2022 – We Quit, says some group everyone has forgotten about

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United Kingdom

December 30, 1931 – Robert Innes and climate change

Ninety six years ago, on this day, December 30th, 1931,

On Wednesday December 30 1931, Dr Robert Innes an astronomer and meteorologist gave a speech at a meeting of the British Astronomical Association, pointing to carbon dioxide released when coal and petrol were burned as a cause of current and future warming.

Anon, 1931. No More Cold Winters. News Chronicle, December 31, p.1

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 308ppm. As of 2025, 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 was that Arrhenius’s theory of carbon dioxide build-up had been dismissed by some. Others still thought it had merit (reader, it did).

The specific context was that Innes was a fascinating, self-taught figure. He also seemed to have thought that carbon dioxide from comets was a cause of the warming.

What I think we can learn from this – carbon dioxide was being mentioned a reasonable amount. It’s not clear Guy Callendar knew about/paid attention to Innes…

What happened next – Innes died a couple of years after this, before Callendar’s pivotal (in retrospect only) presentation to the Royal Meteorological Society in early 1938.

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: 

December 30, 1957 – a letter from Gilbert Plass to Guy Callendar

December 30, 1976 – President Jimmy Carter is lobbied about #climate change

December 30, 1997 –  “How seriously should we take the greenhouse effect?” asks deeply unserious economics hack 

December 30, 2006 – “Industry snubs climate strategy”

December 30, 2007 – Bert Bolin dies.

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Science Scientists

December 29, 1959 – plenty of room at the bottom

Sixty six years ago, on this day, December 29th, 1959,

Physicist Richard Feynman gives a speech entitled “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom”, which is regarded as the birth of nanotechnology.

“”There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom: An Invitation to Enter a New Field of Physics” was a lecture given by physicist Richard Feynman at the annual American Physical Society meeting at Caltech on December 29, 1959.[1] Feynman considered the possibility of direct manipulation of individual atoms as a more robust form of synthetic chemistry than those used at the time. Versions of the talk were reprinted in a few popular magazines, but it went largely unnoticed until the 1980s.

The title references the popular quote “There is always room at the top.” attributed to Daniel Webster (who is thought to have said this phrase in response to warnings against becoming a lawyer, which was seen as an oversaturated field in the 19th century).”

There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom – Wikipedia

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 316ppm. As of 2025, 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 was there were lots of smart people knocking around in the 1950s. Lots of funding for them to, within the sprawling empire that was the American military-industrial complex.

The specific context was Feynman was damn smart (once you’re that stratospheric, I am not sure there’s much point in distinguishing between von Neumann etc etc).

What I think we can learn from this – I need to read more Feynman, and more about Feynman.

What happened next? Feynman kept on being absurdly smart. In one of his memoirs he talks about, during the Challenger investigation, talking to engineers on the ground and finding out they were way smarter than their bosses. Obvs.


Also, he dropped the rubber o-ring in the ice water. Now that is showmanship…

The Challenger Disaster – Richard Feynman

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: 

December 29, 1969 – AAAS symposium on “Climate and Man”

December 29, 1972 – Schneider meets Sullivan

December 29, 1995 – Sydney Morning Herald points out year has been hottest yet…

December 29, 1999 – Russian sub commander turned eco-whistleblower is acquitted.

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Academia Science Scientists

 December 28  – Carl Rossby (1896) and Jonny von Neumann (1903) born

A hundred and twenty plus years ago, on this day, December 28th, 1896/1903

Carl-Gustaf Rossby December 28, 1898 – August 19, 1957

Carl-Gustaf Rossby – Wikipedia

Swedish-American meteorologist who first explained the large-scale motions of the atmosphere in terms of fluid mechanics. His work contributed to developing meteorology as a science. Rossby first theorized about the existence of the jet stream in 1939, and that it governs the easterly movement of most weather. U.S. Army Air Corps pilots flying B-29 bombing missions across the Pacific Ocean during World War II proved the jet stream’s existence. The pilots found that when they flew from east to west, they experienced slower arrival times and fuel shortage problems. When flying from west to east, however, they found the opposite to be true. Rossby created mathematical models (Rossby equations) for computerized weather prediction (1950).

and

John von Neumann Born 28 Dec 1903; died 8 Feb 1957 

Hungarian-American mathematician who made important contributions in quantum physics, logic, meteorology, and computer science. He invented game theory, the branch of mathematics that analyses strategy and is now widely employed for military and economic purposes. During WW II, he studied the implosion method for bringing nuclear fuel to explosion and he participated in the development of the hydrogen bomb. He also set quantum theory upon a rigorous mathematical basis. In computer theory, von Neumann did much of the pioneering work in logical design, in the problem of obtaining reliable answers from a machine with unreliable components, the function of “memory,” and machine imitation of “randomness.”[Image left: Von Neumann with ENIAC computer.]

 John von Neumann: The Scientific Genius Who Pioneered…, by Norman MacRae. – book suggestion.

 Von Neumann is also quoted in Fortune in 1955 “Can We Survive Technology?” (spoiler – probably not)

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 295-297ppm. As of 2025, 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 was these were two seriously smart human beings.

The specific context was Rossby was born the same year Arrhenius’s paper on carbon dioxide build-up was published, lol.

What I think we can learn from this – I do wish von Neumann had lasted a bit longer – I think he might have taken more interest in CO2 build-up. But this is idle speculation and dreaming that a white saviour might have saved us. Nowt was going to save us.

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: 

December 28, 1978 – fly the plane. Don’t keep tapping the fuel light.

December 28, 1994 – Australian Financial Review says “say yes to Tradeable Emissions Quotas”

December 28, 2002 –  Renewable Energy vs John Howard, round 55ish… –