Thirty-eight years ago, on this day, June 26th, 1986, the penny starts to drop.
The 18th Meeting of the Australian Environment Council on 25 June heard a special address on the environmental consequences for Australia of probable global climatic change.
The address, by the Chief of the CSIRO Division of Atmospheric Research, Dr. G. B. Tucker, was arranged so that Ministers could hear a first-hand account of recent studies of the effects of carbon dioxide and other trace gases on the atmosphere (the ‘greenhouse’ effect). Dr Tucker told the meeting of findings from measurements made at the Commonwealth baseline air monitoring stations at Cape Grim, Tasmania, which indicate the concentrations of key gases associated with climate change. He demonstrated the global effect which could take place within fifty years and said that the changes could not only take place in such a relatively short time, but “There is nothing we can do about it.” For instance, in Australia there is likely to be a 2 degree C rise in mean summer temperatures by 2030.
Dr Tucker said that the effect of a two degree rise in temperatures brought about by the greenhouse effect could seriously diminish rainfall in the grain growing areas of the northern hemisphere. In Australia it could cause increased rainfall in northern areas and some grain growing areas. A two degree rise could drastically alter the snowfield climate to that of an area 300 metres lower. Dr Tucker said he had used these examples to illustrate some of the problems which Australia would have to begin planning for.
The Chairman of the AEC, Dr Don Hopgood, (Deputy Premier of South Australia and Minister for Environment and Planning) said Dr Tucker had foreshadowed a complex of problems which would have to be faced in the coming years. The issue was of global and regional significance and Australia should continue to play an active role in scientific studies on climatic change and its implications.
Vol 6 (2) October 1986, page 5
The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 348ppm. As of 2024 it is 426ppm, but check here for daily measures.
The context was that five years previously, the Australian Environment Council had been told that climate change was a real issue and that it needed looking at and then there had been utter silence for five years, which is fascinating. Had orders come down from on high? Possibly. Possibly not? I think, probably not; I think it’s just too big an issue, and no one can think about it. And what to do about it. And it was only after Villach in 85, that they were forced to reluctantly remove their heads from the sand.
What we can learn is that some issues – and greenhouse gases build-up is number one – are simply too profound. And we say that we’re going to look at them. And then we look away, we change the subject, whether we’re an NGO like thAustralian Conservation Foundation in the mid 80s, or we are Australian Environment Council, anyone really.
And we’re still doing it. Instead of looking at the horror, we talk about more renewables as if that’s the solution. Because we can’t look into the goddamn abyss.
What happened next was that the Greenhouse Project got going, culminating in December 1988 with a big conference, held in cities across Australia.
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:
June 26, 1986 – “our children will grow old in a world that fragmenting and disintegrating.”
June 26, 1988 – it’s SHOWTIME for climate…
June 26, 1991 “environment is not flavor of the month any more”
