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Science United States of America

January 1970 – Yale biologist muses on science, politics, pollution, warming.

In this month, 54 years ago, eminent Yale biologist G. Evelyn Hutchinson reflected on the effectiveness of Senate hearings for investigating environmental dilemmas, including carbon dioxide build-up. “Though dire effects on climate of an increase in CO2 have been predicted, this is far from being adequately established (5). The cycle is not really fully understood, […]

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Uncategorized

On getting things wrong – a meditation and apology

First thing is – I screwed up, and there’s absolutely nobody else to blame. I posted yesterday this blog post. It’s something that I wrote the first draft of a year ago, and had updated at some point since. The problem with it is that the quoted scientist, Mike Pentz, was not warning about C02 […]

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Scientists

December 12, 2007 – RIP William Kellogg

Sixteen years ago, on this day, December 12, 2007, the important US climate scientist William Kellogg dies; as with Bert Bolin, very good timing both The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 384ppm. As of 2023 it is 421ppm, but check here for daily measures.  The context was that William Kellogg had […]

Scientists

Scientists, eh. Pointy-headed boffins telling us that there are in fact facts and also that climate is a beast we keep poking with a sharp stick (that’s Wally Broecker). There will be pages for at least the following; Svante ArrheniusEunice FooteGuy CallendarGilbert PlassRoger RevelleCharles David KeelingHermann FlohnPaul EhrlichBarry CommonerJames HansenStephen SchneiderWally BroeckerWilliam KelloggBert BolinBarrie PittockGraeme […]

People

History is about people (and classes, creatures, objects, organisations etc). And so as part of the “make All Our Yesterdays more navigable/relatable/useful” push (late 2023 onwards), I am going to create individual pages for people who pop up repeatedly in past and future posts. There will be politicians (Prime Ministers – both Australian and British) […]

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United Nations

October 14, 1977 – a UNESCO education conference mentions climate change…

Forty six years ago, on this day, October 14, 1977, the head of the United Nations Environment Program mentions climate at an UNESCO conference on environmental education. Tolba at Tblisi UNESCO conference on environmental education 14 Oct 1977 https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000032763 The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 333.7ppm. As of 2023 it is […]

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Denial IPCC

May 30, 1996 – Denialist goons smear scientist

Twenty seven years ago, on this day, May 30, 1996, Fred Seitz, energetic and lunatic denialist, tries to smear the IPCC, focussing on one particular scientist, Ben Santer “This controversial issue also resulted in two letters (dated 30 May and 26 June), being sent to me, one from the Global Climate Coalition (John Schlaes) and […]

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Uncategorized

May 11, 2001 –  Bush Signs Oil Lobbying Organization’s Executive Order

Twenty two years ago, on this day, May 11, 2001, George “Supreme Court got me this gig” Bush did his masters’ bidding. President Bush signs Executive Order 13211. It is a verbatim copy of a “suggested” order sent in March by American Petroleum Institute official James Ford (see March 20, 2001). The executive order, enigmatically […]

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Austria

 Feb 21, 1978 – “Carbon dioxide, climate and society” workshop

Forty five years ago, on this day, February 21 1978, a workshop took place at the Cold War lek known as IIASA, in Austria. Carbon dioxide, climate and society – Proceedings of a IIASA workshop co-sponsored by WMO, UNEP and SCOPE, (Laxenburg, Austria) 21-24 Feb 1978. The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was […]

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Australia

Australian films “The Coal Question” and “What to do about C02” – interview with Russell Porter

The Australian documentary maker Russell Porter kindly agreed to an interview about two of his films for the CSIRO, “the Coal Question” (1982) and “What to do about C02” (1984). The short version (though you really would benefit from reading the whole thing) is this – we knew. We really did. Skilled communicators got hold […]