Category: On This Day

On this day, April 23,  

The Irish Times (among others) ran a story from the UNESCO Courier about the climate and the theory of Arrhenius and others (including, most recently, Gilbert Plass) that carbon dioxide build-up was already causing warming, which would grow.

April 23, 1954 – Irish Times runs carbon dioxide/climate story. Yes, 1954.

“Ecology has become the Thing. There are ecological politics, ecological jokes, ecological bookstores, advertisements, seminars, teach-ins, buttons. The automobile, symbol of ecological abuse, has been tried, sentenced to death, and formally executed in at least two universities (replete with burial of one victim)…”

April 23, 1970 – book review nails coming #climate problems…

Michael Mann begins to land himself in a world of pain. Very UNjolly hockeysticks…

April 23, 1998 – Michael Mann’s Hockey Stick paper published.

It is leaked to climate journo Andy Revkin that – hope you are sitting down – the scumbags behind the “Global Climate Coalition” were ignoring their own scientists…

April 23, 2009 – denialists caught denying their own scientists…

With a new Australian Prime Minister in the offing, power companies try to get him to be less stupid (they fail)

April 23, 2013 – Power Companies want Abbott to rethink Direct Action – All Our Yesterdays

On this day, April 19th,

Even hopeless fights have to be fought, don’t they:

April 19, 1943 – the Warsaw Ghetto uprising began.

Fifty three years ago today the first (Afaik) Hollywood film to mention global warming was released – Soylent Green (spoiler, it’s made of people), based on an Overpopulation Novel by Harry Harrison called “Make Room, Make Room”

April 19, 1973 – first film to mention global warming released (Soylent Green)

Twenty four years ago today, Exxon throws its weight around, gets a top scientist removed from his IPCC position.

April 19, 2002 – Exxon got a top #climate scientist sacked.

Sixteen years ago, fine words don’t butter (whether it’s vegan or not) many parsnips.

April 19, 2010 -World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth – All Our Yesterdays

Forty six years ago the UK Chief Scientific Advisor wrote to the chief Civil Servant, saying that “a risk averse society might prefer nuclear power generation to fossil fuel burning.”

 April 16, 1980 – “a risk averse society might prefer nuclear power generation to fossil fuel burning”

On the same day, a newspaper in Melbourne reported on testimony of US scientists to Congress about the dangers ahead.

April 16, 1980 – Melbourne Age reports “world ecology endangered”

Twenty years ago the Federal Environment Minister (rightly) derided his own government’s support for renewables as “Mickey Mouse”

April 16 2006 – Ian Macfarlane says renewable support schemes are “Mickey Mouse”

Eighteen years ago, miners, ecologists and capitalists tried to get Carbon Capture and Storage going. Oh dear.

April 16, 2008 – Aussie trades unions, greenies, companies tried to get CCS ‘moving.’

The culture wars aren’t going to sustain themselves, you know – there’s gotta be new rage all the time.

 April 6, 2006 – Canadian “experts” (not) keep culture wars going.

Business is beginning to break cover, for what it is worth (not much!)

April 6, 2006 – the anti-climate dam of John Howard begins to crack…

Easier to change our genes than our social and economic priorities, apparently…

April 6, 2012 – Genetically-modified humans? – All Our Yesterdays

Forty seven years ago, Exxon scientists met with oceanographer Wally Broecker.

March 26, 1979 – Exxon meets a climate scientist

After Australia and the US have already ratified, the UK government, then led by John Major, says it will do the same.

March 26, 1993 – UK government to ratify climate treaty

Broken clocks and all that – denialist nutjobs at the Lavoisier Group decide to take a pop at a fantasy technology.

March 26, 2007 – Lavoisier Group lay into CCS

Somebody FOIAs to find out how many people on the Rudd caravan to Copenhagen. More than needed to.

March 26, 2010 – How many Aussie Government types were at Nopenhagen? Lots! 

In 1988 scientists had said a global 20% cut in emissions was needed by 2005. The UK government, on this day, said “yeah, nah”. 

March 13, 1989  – UK Energy Department shits all over everyone’s future by dissing Toronto Target

In Australia climate activists tried to get the Labor government to be less shit. They failed.

March 13, 1992 – Australian climate advocates try to get government to see sense… (fail, obvs).

Candidate Bush had made promises on the campaign trail. 25 years ago today Vice-President Bush, under President Cheney, broke those promises.

March 13, 2001 – Bush breaks election promise to regulate C02 emissions…

19 years ago, the unions (especially the coal-miners) were talking up “clean coal”, as was Labor leader Kevin Rudd. Happy times.

March 13, 2007 – ACTU talks up “clean coal”

Sixteen years ago, the United Nations Environment Program releases a report on the gap between the promises and what is happening/what is needed. They’re still producing these reports. The gap ain’t getting any smaller.

March 13, 2010 – first UNEP Emissions Gap report

With the climate issue clearly about to break through, some congressional staffers have a think, organised by some big green campaigning outfits.

March 10, 1988 – Congressional staff (go on a) retreat on Climate

If you want to control, or at least confuse and disinform, then you must control the state broadcaster. So, you put loyal stupid people in powerful positions. They then give stupid speeches. And voila.

March 10, 2010 – ABC chairman gives stupid speech to staff

A great scientist and brave man, who faced prolonged interference in his work because he was right and industry didn’t like it. 

March 10, 2012- RIP Sherry Rowland

When you are six years old or so, you learn that closing your eyes doesn’t mean other people can’t see you – that there is an actual reality. Republican governors get to be five or so their whole wretched lives…

 March 10, 2015 – Florida governor denies banning words “climate change”

Seventy six years ago smart people do things with computers…

March 5, 1950 – first computer simulation of the weather…

Forty two years ago, another presentation. By the mid-80s, it was common knowledge.

March 5, 1984 – presentation on “Global Climate Change Due to Human Activities”

Liberal Senator is an idiot. Again.

March 5, 2007 – Nick Minchin versus reality, agai

Fifteen years ago, denialists go wild!

March 5, 2011 – Australian “wingnuts are coming out of the woodwork”

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.

56 years ago, an academic paper is submitted.

March 4, 1970 – “Variations of the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere in the northern hemisphere” submitted

28 years ago the entirely fake “Australian Greenhouse Office,” set up to be a stabvest for John Howard, gets a “boss” (who never briefs Howard).

March 4, 1998 – The Australian Greenhouse Office gets a boss…

A journo gets a good scoop. Evil Republican (tautology) pollster teaches them how to lie, dooming the planet even more than it was already doomed.

March 4, 2003 – “Luntz memo” exposes Bush climate strategy 

So important I blogged it twice…

March 4, 2003 – Republicans urged to question the scientific consensus…

The ombudsman reveals the AGO for what it is.

March 4, 2004 – The Australian National Audit Office skewers the Australian Greenhouse Office

Three years ago – another heart-breakingly brilliant letter in the Pink’Un

March 4, 2023 –Letter in FT: Global carbon price call is a classic delaying tactic

By the mid 1980s regular hearings were being held by concerned politicians in Congress and Senate, as the science got more alarming and the Reagan Administration’s response continued to be predatory delay.

February 28, 1984 – Carbon Dioxide and the Greenhouse Effect hearings

The peak big business group in Australia – the Business Council of Australia had a civil war between pro-action (renewables, bankers, carbon creditors) and anti (fossil fuel etc) factions. They fought each other to a standstill…

Feb 28, 2003- Australian business lobby switches from opposition to “no position” on Kyoto ratification #auspol

After the defeat of his wretched carbon pricing scheme and the catastrophe of Copenhagen, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd promised not to walk away from climate change. Then did.

February 28, 2010 – Australian Prime Minister says won’t walk away from climate. (Then does, obvs.)

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.