Category: France

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France NotClimate

January 7, 1938 – Samuel Beckett stabbed #NotClimate

On this day, January 7, in 1938

Then, echoing the random absurdism of his novel, on 7 January 1938, Beckett was stabbed in the chest and nearly killed in a Paris street when he refused the solicitations of a notorious pimp, named “Prudent”. Joyce arranged for medical treatment, and Beckett received his page proofs in hospital where he made a few alterations and insertions. https://onehundredpages.wordpress.com/2024/07/24/murphy-by-samuel-beckett-1938-the-maestro-of-failure/

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were at xxx parts per million.

As of 2026 they are 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

Beckett had been living in Paris for a couple of years by this time, I think. He’d been under analysis with Wilfrid Bion (watch this space)

Why care?

Well, knowing this about an author can change the way you read them?  (Some say it shouldn’t, obvs – nothing outside the text blah blah).

(How) does it connect to climate change?

Beckett’s sense of the absurd, despair, but also ACTION.

“Where I am, I don’t know, I’ll never know, in the silence you don’t know, you must go on, I can’t go on, I’ll go on.”

What happened next

He kept despairing and going on.

How does it help us understand the world?

Oof. Beckett and Bion – I must really get on with that…

How does it help us act in the world?

Beckett’s sense of the absurd, despair, but also ACTION.

“Where I am, I don’t know, I’ll never know, in the silence you don’t know, you must go on, I can’t go on, I’ll go on.”

There was the Austrian playwright, Otto Von Horvath who died in Paris on June 1 1938 when a branch of a tree fell on his head, as I recall, about the same time, pre war. Paris, of course, people didn’t know it was pre war, necessarily. They had a fairly good guess but didn’t know it was “pre-occupation Paris”,  (see what I did there?)

. I presume a lot of them had a mental model that it would be a rerun of World War One, only with bigger explosions.

Anyway, Sword of Damocles in it all our lives are hanging by a thread/ending of Stand by Me by the late great Rob Reiner 

The source that it comes from, if necessary, 

Xxx

The other things that you could read about this or watch 

I should read the Molloy trilogy – I stared Malone Dies without realising it’s mid…

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

January 7 – Wikipedia

January 7 – WCH | Stories

Categories
France NotClimate

January 14, 1858- The Orsini Affair #NotClimate

On this day, January 14, in 1858

The Orsini affair comprised the diplomatic, political and legal consequences of the “Orsini attempt” (French: attentat d’Orsini): the attempt made on 14 January 1858 by Felice Orsini, with other Italian nationalists and backed by English radicals, to assassinate Napoleon III in Paris.[1]

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were at 286 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 one of Italian nationalism shenanigans, and the British elite figures resistance to a state that overly-policed those who lived in England (I know, I know).

Why care?

I can’t think of a good reason here.

(How) does it connect to climate change?

It does not.

What happened next

The conspirators got executed.

There was a panic in the UK about the lack of a decent army to defend the Heart of the Empire, and volunteer brigades formed… There was the National Rifle Association, which was the inspiration for the (very different)US one.

How does it help us understand the world?

Well, it was news to me, but my knowledge of European history is not nearly as solid as I used to think it was

How does it help us act in the world?

I”f you’re going to come at the king, you best not miss”

The source that it comes from, if necessary, 

Xxx

The other things that you could read about this or watch 

Xx

Zola – His Excellency Eugène Rougon

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

Etc

Categories
France Industry Associations International processes

November 14, 1984 – first World Industry Conference on Environmental Management begins in Versailles, France.

On this day 41 years ago, a 3-day hold-hands-and-BELIEVE-in-the-cleansing-and-redemptive-power-of-technology-and-markets event begins.

“No one doubts that the world environment is in a parlous state. With millions threatened, and thousands dying from starvation in Ethiopia as a consequence of drought and an eroded soil, with tropical forests still being obliterated in the face of a woeful ignorance as to the effects on world climate, with equally serious problems arising in the northern hemisphere because of acid rain, and with concern over the rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, it is clear that mankind must again come to appreciate the integral role that the environment plays in his survival. No one doubts either that industry and the process of industrialization together comprise a major factor of change in the environment, bringing more and more of the earth’s surface under the domain of man and his artefacts.”

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 344ppm. 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 longer-term context is that industry had been making promises about cleaning up its act for a good decade now.

The shorter-term context is that there had been the 10 year anniversary of the Stockholm conference a couple of years before, and rumblings and mumblings about carbon dioxide build-up were growing. The French were/always are in the market for hosting this sort of tosh.

What we learn – talk has been cheap for a very long time. These events serve an important social function, allowing people to believe that our Lords and Masters are more than fearful greedy meatpuppets.

What happened next – the climate issue broke through a few ppm later – in 1988. For all the good it did us. Oh well.

Also on this day: 

 November 14, 1977 – Met Office boss forced to think about #climate change – first interdepartmental meeting…

November 14, 2005 – Downing St blocked with coal – All Our Yesterdays

November 14, 2013, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse’s 50th #climate speech

November 14, 2014 – US and China sign climate deal, in part to troll Australian Prime Minister – All Our Yesterdays

Categories
Business Responses France

November 14, 1984 – first World Industry Conference on Environmental Management begins in Versailles, France.

On this day 41 years ago, a 3-day hold-hands-and-BELIEVE-in-the-cleansing-and-redemptive-power-of-technology-and-markets event begins.

“No one doubts that the world environment is in a parlous state. With millions threatened, and thousands dying from starvation in Ethiopia as a consequence of drought and an eroded soil, with tropical forests still being obliterated in the face of a woeful ignorance as to the effects on world climate, with equally serious problems arising in the northern hemisphere because of acid rain, and with concern over the rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, it is clear that mankind must again come to appreciate the integral role that the environment plays in his survival. No one doubts either that industry and the process of industrialization together comprise a major factor of change in the environment, bringing more and more of the earth’s surface under the domain of man and his artefacts.”

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 344ppm. 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 longer-term context is that industry had been making promises about cleaning up its act for a good decade now.

The shorter-term context is that there had been the 10 year anniversary of the Stockholm conference a couple of years before, and rumblings and mumblings about carbon dioxide build-up were growing. The French were/always are in the market for hosting this sort of tosh.

What we learn – talk has been cheap for a very long time. These events serve an important social function, allowing people to believe that our Lords and Masters are more than fearful greedy meatpuppets.

What happened next – the climate issue broke through a few ppm later – in 1988. For all the good it did us. Oh well.

Also on this day: 

 November 14, 1977 – Met Office boss forced to think about #climate change – first interdepartmental meeting…

November 14, 2005 – Downing St blocked with coal – All Our Yesterdays

November 14, 2013, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse’s 50th #climate speech

November 14, 2014 – US and China sign climate deal, in part to troll Australian Prime Minister – All Our Yesterdays

Categories
Australia France International processes

October 11, 2000 – Aussies want to mark their own homework

Twenty five years ago, on this day, October 11th, 2000,

“At a UN climate change conference in France in September, the Australian delegates argued that countries should monitor their own progress on greenhouse gas emissions rather than establishing an international monitoring body. An Australian delegate objected to a proposal to establish a consultative process to ensure continuity of information exchange, to facilitate international cooperation and to contribute to the assessment of demonstrable progress.

If such a body was established, Australian delegates argued, it should be prohibited from responding to questions about a country’s performance except for questions posed by the country in question.

An Australian delegate also opposed proposals for financial penalties, or any binding consequences whatsoever, for countries failing to meet their targets.”

Green, J. 2000. Greenhouse sceptics lose the plot. Green Left Weekly, 11 October.

https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/greenhouse-sceptics-lose-plot

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 369ppm. As of 2025, when this post was published, it is 425ppm. 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 Australia had been nakedly criminal on climate policy since 1996 (before that they tried to cloak it). Although they’d extorted a fantastically generous deal at the Kyoto Conference (COP 3) and then signed it, they had not ratified. And everyone knew that if he could avoid ratifying it, Prime Minister John Howard would.

The specific context was that Australia was once again trying to find ways to carve out even more generous conditions…

What I think we can learn from this is that once an untrustworthy and thieving asshole, always an untrustworthy and thieving asshole.

What happened next – in 2002 John Howard went public with the not ratifying Kyoto thing, to nobody’s surprise.

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: 

October 11, 2006 – “Climate Institute” begins tour of rural Victoria 

Categories
France United Kingdom

October 1, 1969 – Concorde breaks the sound barrier

Fifty six years ago, on this day, October 1st, 1969 – 

Concorde Breaks Sound Barrier (1969)

Concorde breaks the sound barrier for the first time.

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 324ppm. As of 2025, when this post was published, it is 425ppm. 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 Sixties was the last decade where these sorts of techno-utopian dreams could be brought to “reality” without too much pushback from economics or civil society.

The specific context was that man had just walked on the moon (”Holy Shit”, as per The Onion’s Our Dumb Century), and perhaps anything seemed possible.

What I think we can learn from this is that if you were born in the 40s or 50s, then that sense of optimism/possibility is possibly baked into you, on some level, and you might be someone  who resents the existence of limits and all those dirty hippies and snivelling scientists who turned out to be right about that.

What happened next – Supersonic transport never took off (sorry about that) in the way intended. The economics didn’t add up, and after a fatal crash, Concorde came back only briefly before its last passenger flight in October 2003.

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.

References

Oct 1st 1969, Concorde 001 breaks through the sound barrier for the first time. — Aerospace Bristol

Concorde wasn’t the first Airliner to Break the Sound Barrier: how the DC-8 became the first commercial transport to go supersonic – The Aviation Geek Club

Also on this day: 

October 1, 1957 – US Oil company ponders carbon dioxide build-up…

October 1, 1964 – The Free Speech Movement kicks off in Berkeley – All Our Yesterdays

October 1, 1977 – Worldwatch on “Redefining National Security” – All Our Yesterdays

October 1, 1997 – Global greens gather in Melbourne, diss Australian #climate policy

Categories
France

August 12 2003 – French heatwave

Twenty two years ago, on this day, August 12th, 2003,

French heatwave

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3190585.stm

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 376ppm. 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 things scientists warned us about? Yeah, they were starting to come true. Science can be irritating like that.

The specific context was – the Europeans had long been better (slightly less terrible) on climate than the settler colonies (USA, Australia)

What I think we can learn from this – you fuck around, you find out. Except those who find out first (the poor, and to some extent the old) did the least fucking around. Nobody said life was fair.

What happened next. We continued to fuck around. Now we are finding out. We will continue to find out. We will not enjoy finding out.

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: 

August 12, 1970 – US Senate warned about climate change

August 12, 1990 – Channel 4 shows crackpot documentary “The Greenhouse Conspiracy”

August 12, 2009 – Deutsche bank enters modelling war in Australia – All Our Yesterdays

August 12, 2010 – BZE launches energy plan for Australia

Categories
France International processes

July 16, 1989 – Paris Agreement….

Thirty six years ago, on this day, July 16th, 1989,

33. There is growing awareness throughout the world of the necessity to preserve better the global ecological balance. This includes serious threats to the atmosphere, which could lead to future climate changes. We note with great concern the growing pollution of air, lakes, rivers, oceans and seas; acid rain, dangerous substances; and the rapid desertification and deforestation. Such environmental degradation endangers species and undermines the well-being of individuals and societies.

Decisive action is urgently needed to understand and protect the earth’s ecological balance. We will work together to achieve the common goals of preserving a healthy and balanced global environment in order to meet shared economic and social objectives and to carry out obligations to future generations.

Economic Declaration (16/07/1989) – G7/G20 Documents Database

Paris Declaration!!! At G7 meeting. 

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 353ppm. 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 G7 meetings had been happening since the mid-1970s. At the Tokyo meeting, in 1979, carbon dioxide build-up had even gotten a mention in the final communique, and then again in 1985 (merely as “climatic change”). 

The specific context was that the climate issue had broken through, finally, in mid-1988, and everyone was mouthing the platitudes… The G7 was no exception.

What I think we can learn from this is that we had a “Paris Agreement” a good twenty five years before the 2015 one. And they were both essentially meaningless. At a species level, we have failed to do anything about climate change.

What happened next – the climate negotiations did not begin in earnest (after serious opposition from the US) until 1991. A proposal, led by the French, for targets and timetables for emissions reductions by rich countries to be in the text of the treaty, was eventually defeated: Bush said he would not even attend the “Earth Summit” if it was in there. Everything since then has been been a failed attempt to fix that problem.

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: 

July 16, 1990 – Canberra Times gives denialist tosh a platform

July 16, 1992 – American scientist claims “no firm evidence” of #climate change Australian National Press Club #denial

Categories
France

June 14, 1993 – International Conference on the Economics of Climate Change

Thirty two  years ago, on this day, June 14th, 1993, the OECD and IEA talk climate.

International Conference on the Economics Of Climate Change

OECD/IEA Paris 

14-16 June 1993

[en] An international Conference on the Economics of Climate Change was convened by the OECD and the International Energy Agency (IEA) in Paris, in June 1993. Participants included many of the world’s foremost experts in the field, as well as representatives from business, labour, and other non-governmental organisations. The Conference sought to examine points of consensus and divergence among existing studies on the economics of climate change. Participants also focused on how economic analysis could contribute to meeting the obligations of OECD countries under the 1992 Framework Convention on Climate Change. Discussions centered on such topics as the economic costs and benefits of greenhouse gas mitigation strategies, the potential role of carbon taxes and other economic instruments in the policy mix, possibilities for technological change and diffusion, especially in the energy sector, and joint abatement action between industrialized and developing countries. This volume contains the papers presented at the Conference, as well as summaries of the subsequent discussions. It provides an overview of the ‘state of the art’ in the economics of climate change and several suggestions for future research. (author)

The economics of climate change|INIS

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 360ppm. As of 2025 it is 430ppm, but check here for daily measures. 

The broader context was that the OECD had been set up in the early 1960s as “the rich men’s club”. The IEA as a kind of offshoot of it in 1974, to cope with the consequences of the quadrupling of energy prices after the Arab Oil Embargo.  Both groups had been doing some thinking/co-ordinating about climate change from the late 1970s onwards

The specific context was that the Rio Earth Summit had given the world a relatively toothless “United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change” – with no targets or timetables for emissions reductions by rich nations (thanks, Uncle Sam!).  It hadn’t been ratified but everyone knew it probably would be.  And so, a meeting to discuss economic implications, technological and policy options etc.

What I think we can learn from this

As human beings that the “smartest” among us are not that smart. Homo “sapiens” my fat arse.

As “active citizens” – that expensively indoctrina…sorry “educated” people with the “right” credentials have been summitting and conferencing for decades, and here we are.

Academics might like to ponder the above two sentences, while looking in the mirror.

What happened next

xxx

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.

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 14, 1979 – the messy inclusion of climate change in energy politics – All Our Yesterdays

Categories
France

December 6, 2018 – Macron scraps a fuel tax because of protests

On this day six years ago...

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 409ppm. As of 2024 it is 423ppm, but check here for daily measures. 

The context was that the Gilets Jaunes had been protesting about the petrol tax that Macron had unilaterally installed. He was forced eventually to back down. 

What we learn is that there will be understandable pushback against taxes that make life even harder for poor people who are dependent upon private modes of transport who are living hand to mouth and if you want to have a decent climate policy, carbon policy, it has to be socially publicly acceptable and ultimately, the rich are going to have to cough up but that will never happen because the rich control climate policy. We are doomed. 

Poor people are being fucked. If the rich had taken the “correct” actions in the 1980s and 90s, this might not have needed to happen, but that’s a fantasy. It was always going to play out like this. What can I tell you? 

What happened next Macron is still in charge. But the next president will probably be Marine LePen. Fun and games we will have. 

December 6, 2005 – CCS is our only hope, says Chief Scientist….

December 6, 2006- Turns out 0.1% of a Very BIG NUMBER is … quite a lot…