Tag: 1971

April 22, 1971 – “Utilization of solar energy” (because fossil fuels = CO2)

Post author By drmarchudson
Post date April 21, 2026
No Comments on April 22, 1971 – “Utilization of solar energy” (because fossil fuels = CO2)

Fifty five years ago, on this day, April 22nd, 1971,

UTILIZATION OF SOLAR ENERGY-PROGRESS REPORT FARRINGTON DANIELS

Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, Solar Energy Laboratory, University of Wisconsin: “Fifth, a whole new emphasis on the use of solar energy comes now from the widespread concern over pollution of our environment. Solar devices produce no pollution-chemical, radioactive, nor overall thermal-and under some circumstances could replace some of our power generators which now do produce pollutant carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, radioactivity and excessive waste heat.”

(Read April 22, 1971) Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, Vol. 115, No. 6 (Dec. 30, 1971), pp. 490-501

Published by: American Philosophical Society

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/985842

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 326ppm. As of 2026 it is 428ppm, but check here for daily measures.

The broader context was that the solar lobby had been talking about carbon dioxide for a while!

The specific context was that everyone was running around talking about energy supplies – and this is BEFORE the oil shock.

What I think we can learn from this is that by the late 60s, early 70s, solar energy proponents were pointing to carbon dioxide build up as a reason for advancing solar development as quickly as possible. It wasn’t always or ever their first argument, but it was in the mix.

What happened next: The environmentalists got contained, exhausted, and then the Oil Shock came and delivered the coup de grace.

April 21, 1971 – a forum on “Energy, Economic Growth and the Environment” in Washington DC.

Post author By drmarchudson
Post date April 20, 2026
No Comments on April 21, 1971 – a forum on “Energy, Economic Growth and the Environment” in Washington DC.

Fifty five years ago, on this day, April 21st, 1971, a forum organised by “Resources for the Future” (by “the” they mean “rich white people with guns”),

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 326ppm. As of 2026 it is 428ppm, but check here for daily measures.

The broader context was that MacDonald had been banging on about carbon dioxide for quite some time. Commoner knew what he was talking about. And Glenn Seaborg, as chair of the Atomic Energy Commission, had been aware of carbon dioxide build up for a long time. The first public statement that I’ve been able to find is his commencement address in 1966 at, I want to say UC San Diego, anyway, June ‘66 and there had been other similar announcements, I think he’s quoted in the New York Times in the late 60s. And here he is again on this question.

Also, Fressoz, in “More and More and More” has a section on how much the nuclear guys knew from the early 1950s…

The specific context was that Earth Day has happened, and the Stockholm conference in June of ‘72 is on its way. And therefore everyone is scratching their head about energy and the environment and economic growth.

What I think we can learn from this is that we knew.

What happened next: the energy oil crisis of ‘73 basically put the kibosh on any questions about reducing fossil fuel usage, and here we are,

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:

April 21, 1977 – Australian Parliament debate on Uranium – C02 build up mentioned

April 21, 1992 – President Bush again threatens to boycott Earth Summit

April 21, 1993 – Bill Clinton says US will tackle carbon emissions.

Tags 1971, Resources for the Future

Brazil NotClimate

January 21, 1971 – Disappearance of Rubens Paiva #NotClimate

Post author By drmarchudson
Post date January 20, 2026
No Comments on January 21, 1971 – Disappearance of Rubens Paiva #NotClimate

On this day, January 21, in 1971

Rubens Beyrodt Paiva (Brazilian Portuguese: [ˈʁubẽs ˈpajvɐ]; 26 December 1929 – 21 January 1971)^[2]^[3] was a Brazilian civil engineer and politician who, as a Congressman at the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies, opposed the implementation of the military dictatorship in Brazil in 1964. Due to his involvement with activities deemed subversive by the dictatorial regime, he was arrested by the military forces, tortured, and murdered.^[4] As of 2026, his body has not been recovered.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubens_Paiva

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were at 326 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 the Americans were supporting military takeovers all over the joint, though I don’t know their grubby fingerprints were as closely on the 1964 one in Brazil as – say – Guatemala 1954 or Chile 1973.

The U.S. Government and the 1964 Coup | We Cannot Remain Silent

Why care?

Because this is one of the more extreme, or rather “unsubtle” ways of control. No body equals more fear, more uncertainty, even more anguish. Charming, isn’t it?

(How) does it connect to climate change?

What, you think they’re not already disappearing inconvenient activists?

What happened next

Brazil emerged from that coup in the 1980s, iirc.

How does it help us understand the world?

This is how power works, innit? Not everywhere all the time, but enough of the time to send the desired message.

How does it help us act in the world?

OpSec is a good thing, I guess.

The source that it comes from, if necessary,

Xxx

The other things that you could read about this or watch

That film Cental Station (which I’ve not seen).

John Sayles film Men With Guns.

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

Tags 1971, Rubens Paiva

NotClimate

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

Post author By drmarchudson
Post date December 31, 2025
No Comments on 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

Tags 1971, Cigarette Advertising, Veronica Hamel

United States of America

December 20, 1971 – Nixon’s climate plans

Post author By drmarchudson
Post date December 19, 2025
No Comments on December 20, 1971 – Nixon’s climate plans

Fifty four years ago, on this day, December 20th, 1971,

But the newly revealed Dec. 20, 1971, research proposal by the White House Office of Science and Technology shows for the first time that Nixon’s science advisors embarked on an extensive analysis of the potential risks of climate change and an assessment of the data needs. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/26042024/nixon-administration-climate-research-plan/

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 326ppm. 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 the first global ecological awakening (aka “The Malthusian Moment”) had begun in late 1968/early 1969, with Earthrise and then the Santa Barbara Oil Spill. April 1970 had seen “Earth Day”…. That same year had seen the passage of NEPA and the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.

The specific context was that Nixon’s people (e.g. Daniel Moynihan) had been talking about carbon dioxide build-up since 1969.

What I think we can learn from this – there were people doing the research and thinking all the way back then.

What happened next – extensive federal support for climate research only got going late in the 1970s, with the 1978 National Climate Programme Act.

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 20, 1961 – UNGA resolution on outer space and weather modification

December 20, 1969 – AGU on climate change… –

December 20, 1983 – Documentary on “the Climate Crisis” shown

December 20, 2007 – UK opposition leader David Cameron gives clean coal speech in Beijing…

Tags 1971, Richard Nixon

Denial United Kingdom United States of America

September 9, 1971 – Stephen Schneider’s letter, and a World Model

Post author By drmarchudson
Post date September 8, 2025
No Comments on September 9, 1971 – Stephen Schneider’s letter, and a World Model

Fifty four years ago, on this day, September 9th, 1971 climate scientist Stephen Schneider wrote a letter to the New York Times about some industry bullshit that the Times had run as a n op-ed.

AND on the same day, things were a foot in the United Kingdom

“Whereas Bray had been highly sceptical of the World model, Cottrell had been enthused by its demonstration. Returning to Britain, he proposed that the British government develop a similar model, stating his belief that ‘Forrester’s approach is the most important development of its kind since Keynes’ general theory’.117

Given the centrality of Keynesianism in post-war economic policy, this was a significant claim. Heath, as his early enthusiasm for management science had revealed, had some interest in forecasting and simulation, and gave his permission for a scoping study on the feasibility of a British world model. Cottrell held a meeting on the subject at the Cabinet Office in September 1971, in which he had told the assembled civil servants that developing a global model for British purposes would require £50,000 and four staff. In response, an unnamed civil servant argued that the Treasury had a more sophisticated econometric model that it used for forecasting. Despite this criticism, the general idea of a global environmental model was well received, and further work was proposed.118 “

Histories of Technology, the Environment and Modern Britain

The broader context was that in the late 1960s people started worrying about the global impact of industrialisation and population growth (as distinct from concerns about localised pollution).

The specific context was that a) Schneider was already making a name for himself as combative and b) the British state was beginning to think about systems modelling (aware that the Club of Rome report was coming)…

What I think we can learn from this is that there was mention of carbon dioxide and limits to growth way back when. It had pushed out from the undergrowth in the late 1960s…

What happened next: By 1973, we were back to sleep, for the most part. A few new NGOs, a couple of magazines (Your Environment, The Ecologist). It is very very hard to combat a world view.

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:

September 9, 1947 – The Daily Worker talks about melting the ice-caps

September 9, 1971 – of Australian Prime Ministers and American scientists…

September 9, 1990 – classic (?) film Mindwalk released

Tags 1971, Allan Cottrell, New York Times, Stephen Schneider

Sweden

August 16, 1971 – “The changing chemistry of the oceans.”

Post author By drmarchudson
Post date August 15, 2025
No Comments on August 16, 1971 – “The changing chemistry of the oceans.”

Fifty four years ago, on this day, August 16th, 1971,

The changing chemistry of the oceans : proceedings of the twentieth Nobel symposium held 16-20th August, 1971 at Aspendäsgården, Lerum and Chalmers University of Technology, Götenborg, Sweden Nobel Symposium, (20th: Sweden: 1971); Dyrssen, David, editor; Jagner, D. joint editor 1972

March 27, 1971 – Norwegian Tabloid talks about the climate threat

Post author By drmarchudson
Post date March 26, 2025
No Comments on March 27, 1971 – Norwegian Tabloid talks about the climate threat

Fifty four years ago, on this day, March 27th, 1971,

In 1971, in Norway’s largest tabloid newspaper, a journalist reported [on March 27] that global warming “may cause the polar ice to melt, that the ocean will rise above its shores, that cities and large territories of land will be under water, [and] that humans will be displaced to mountain regions” (Anonymous 1971). This alarming news story, possibly the first reference to the issue of global warming in Norwegian press, was buried in a host of similar stories of doom and gloom. Since Earth Day a year before, readers had become used to hearing about a fast approaching environmental Ragnarök. This was alarming news to Norwegians who would typically spend their vacations enjoying the country’s beautiful fjords and mountains.

Anonymous (1971) Og havet vil stige, VG March 27

Source: Anker, 2018

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 326ppm. As of 2025 it is 427ppm, but check here for daily measures.

The context was that the previous year, in February, Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands had mentioned CO2 build up. There were probably other mentions in the press, but crucially, this is apparently the first one in the Norwegian press, alongside a general sense of ecological problems, there was also a very specific climatological issue.

What I think we can learn from this

Climate change was among the other late 1960s-early 197s eco-concerns…

What happened next

Well, nine years later, the Minister for Statoil said it was a long way off. [see March 21, 1980]

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:

March 27, 1966 – The “Conservation Society” to be launched

March 27th, 1977- what we can learn from Dutch arrogance and aviation disasters

Tags 1971

United Kingdom

March 8, 1971 – The Future cancelled for lack of interest…

Post author By drmarchudson
Post date March 7, 2025
No Comments on March 8, 1971 – The Future cancelled for lack of interest…

Fifty four years ago, on this day, March 8th, 1971,

“Due to Lack of Interest… ” Paul Ehrlich documentary” –

https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/6254d3d38f674b6288acb485fcffdeda

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 326ppm. As of 2025 it is 427ppm, but check here for daily measures.

The context was the BBC was making all of these documentaries about environmental issues and whether we were taking them seriously enough or too seriously. And this is another one of those.

March 1971 is possibly “peak Ehrlich” and peak environment. Everyone knew the Stockholm conference was coming. There was a new Department of the Environment. Super departments have been created, Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, etc.

And here we are.

What I think we can learn from this

The TV shows that we think will “wake up the masses” have been made again and again and again and again. And again.

What happened next

Ehrlich’s predictions of the inescapable famine did not come to pass, and this has definitely hurt the green cause, if you want to call it that.

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:

March 8 – International Women’s Day – what is feminist archival practice?

March 8, 1999 – Direct Air Capture of C02 mooted for the first time

Tags 1971, Paul Ehrlich

South Paciific

August 5, 1971 – First “South Pacific Forum” happens

Post author By drmarchudson
Post date August 4, 2024
No Comments on August 5, 1971 – First “South Pacific Forum” happens

Fifty three years ago, on this day, August 5th,1971, leaders of small island states get together…

The first Pacific Islands Forum (then known as the “South Pacific Forum”) is held in Wellington, New Zealand, with the aim of enhancing cooperation between the independent countries of the Pacific Ocean.

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 324ppm. As of 2024 it is 424ppm, but check here for daily measures.

The context was that the Vietnam War was still going on (the Americans were losing.) There were pacts of different nations, SEATO to ASEAN, all the rest of it. Eisenhower’s Secretary of State John Foster Dulles had been doing “pactomania.” BUT not everything should be seen as the machinations of the metropole. Sometimes – gasp – the “colonials” have plans of their own…

The ‘no politics’ restriction on discussion in the [south Pacific Conference] was the source of great dissatisfaction for the nascent leadership from the islands. The most pressing issues for the islands were clearly political ones involving larger questions of decolonization, but the greatest concern was nuclear testing by France.7
Matters came to a head at the 1965 meeting in Lae, Papua New Guinea, when Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara of Fiji led a major push from the island representatives to give the Conference more relevance in the actions of the SPC beyond its existing ‘advisory’ capacity. The ‘Lae Rebellion’ was ‘the first concerted effort by Pacific Islanders to protest against the structures in the SPC which ensured dominance by the colonial powers’.8
Mara was also the driving force behind the creation in 1965 of the first indigenously motivated ‘islands-only’ regional organization, the Pacific Islands Producers Association (PIPA). Formed by Fiji, Tonga, and Western Samoa outside of the domain of the SPC, PIPA provided a unified front for negotiating the prices of common agricultural products for export.
Faced with increasing irrelevance, the SPC did evolve in an attempt to meet these new challenges and demands from the island states. From 1967 onward, meetings of the Conference and Commission were held together, and the difference between the two bodies essentially disappeared by 1974.9
Despite these reforms, it was clear the SPC’s charter made the organization too limited to deal with all of the issues confronting the region, and the South Pacific Forum was founded in 1971 as an attempt to address these rising challenges.

THE PROBLEMS AND POTENTIAL OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM by ERIC SHIBUYA

What we learn is that if you don’t know something these days, you can just Google it. Pretty much go to Google Scholar. Truth – or at least the facts – will out.

What happened next? Well, by 1987, the Commonwealth was getting interested in global warming, there was the 1987 meeting at which Margaret Thatcher got schooled. And of course, in 1988, it burst on the public agenda. And then there was the Male Declaration in 1989. And since then, AOSIS, and since then the Pacific island nations have been begging and pleading with Australia to be less of a douche. And Australia’s been like, “yeah, nah” on it. We do have the fun of Albo’s 2006 Labor Party position paper on “Our Drowning Neighbours.” And then in 2023 there’s a deal where people from Tuvalu can swap their snorkels for visas.

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

Xxx

Also on this day:

August 5, 1997 – Australian politician calls for “official figures” on #climate to be suspended because they are rubbery af

August 5, 2010 – academics call for insurance industry to get involved in climate fight

Tags 1971, South Pacific Forum

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