Tag: 1986

Categories
Australia

June 21, 1986 – The Science Show does climate (again)

Forty years ago, on this day, June 21st, 

The Science Show [Episode 510] – CSIRO Book Launch; Greenhouse Effect; International Inventor’s Awards; Expo ’86; Creation Science in the US; Positron Tomography; Mental Health Treatment in Belgium

21 Jun 1986 – 21 Jun 1986

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 347ppm. As of 2026, when this post was published, it is 432ppm. 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 for this was that ABC Radio had first mentioned carbon dioxide build up as a potential problem in September 1969 –  the science unit had been aware of all of this stuff. Then in August 1975 the very first episode of the Science Show, the ABC radio programme hosted by Robyn Williams, had a guest Peter Ritchie Calder, the British science journalist and thinker. And what did they talk about? They talked about carbon dioxide build up dating back to a 1961 United Nations conference.

The Science Show had continued to run articles or pieces segments about CO2 build up from then onwards.  

October 25, 1980 – Australian radio’s The Science Show talks about climate change…

The specific context was that in 1985 there had been a scientific meeting in Villach in Austria. And from that various activities had followed, especially in the United States and Australia, with scientists trying to warn politicians that the question of carbon dioxide build-up into the atmosphere from burning of fossil fuels, (primarily, not exclusively)  could no longer be ignored or kicked into the long grass. And so at this time, the Australian Environment Council was about to hear from Brian Tucker, boss of the division of Atmospheric Physics at the CSIRO about CO2 build-up. 

What I think we can learn is this: it’s now 40 years since Australia’s political elites were forced to confront a reality that a few of them see, for example, this National Party senator in 1981 – had been aware of for longer. Forty years. People have been born, had children, and in some cases, those children have had children in that time. Here we are. 

What happened next: in 1987 the Greenhouse Project, a joint effort by the CSIRO Department of Atmospheric Physics and the Commission for the Future was launched. And in 1988 the issue exploded onto the public attention. There were lots of warm words, but not so much action because that would be costly and would not fit with what we were already doing. We are habitual creatures, especially when those habits are defended with political, economic, cultural and military force.

On this topic, you might like these other posts on All Our Yesterdays

October 12, 1986 – Ockham’s Razor and the Greenhouse Effect (ABC radio programme)

References

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 21, 1954 – Manchester Evening News explains climate change

June 21, 1958 – Washington Post reports ‘world turning into a ‘greenhouse’

June 21, 1964 – Goodman, Chaney and Schwerner murdered – 

June 21, 1994 – “National Greenhouse Advisory Panel” established. Hilarity ensues.

June 21, 2007 – ABC unleashes “Carbon Cops” on the world. ACAB – All Climate Activists Barf… 

Categories
United Kingdom

June 12, 1986 – Tory MP on carbon dioxide build-up, post Chernobyl…

Forty years ago, on this day, June 12, 1986, Conservative MP David Heathcoat-Amory had this to say in his regular column in the Mid-Somerset Series…

“Pumping carbon dioxide into the air also produces a “greenhouse” effect in which the atmosphere gradually heats up (hardly noticeable this spring!) This in turn causes the ice caps to melt and the sea level to rise.

Since 1850 the level of CO2 in the air has gone up by about a quarter. Not disastrous, but certainly a worry.”

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 347ppm. As of 2026, when this post was published, it is 432ppm. 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 for this was that the question of carbon dioxide build-up had been spoken of in mainstream media (BBC, newspapers, the Economist etc etc) in the late 1960s and early 1970s. There had been an effort to get the UK Government concerned and paying close attention in the late 1970s, but this had come up against Thatcher’s indifference/hostility.

The specific context was that by 1986, things were moving. The Villach meeting had happened, and questions around the dangers of energy production were super-live because of the then-recent Chernobyl explosion.

What I think we can learn is this: plenty of (Conservative) MPs were aware of the problem. It wasn’t yet part of a culture war.

What happened next: In September 1988 Margaret Thatcher gave a speech to the Royal Society about science funding and… the Greenhouse Effect. The issue has waxed and waned, but never gone away because (checks notes)… we are tipping billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year, and that is starting to have some of the predicted effects.

On this topic, you might like these other posts on All Our Yesterdays

July 21, 1970 – Conservative MP talks about #climate

March 12, 1984 – A Conservative MP worries about carbon dioxide build-up

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 12, 1920 – “The Mad Planet” published

June 12, 1972 – At Stockholm “development” is challenged 

June 12, 1992 – Australia refuses to put a tax on carbon: “It’s a question of who starts the ball rolling. We won’t.”

June 12, 1996 – scumbag denialists smear a scientist – All Our Yesterdays

June 12, 2011 – Nazi smears used by denialists, obvs

Categories
technosalvationism United Kingdom

April 30, 1986 – “Industry: Caring for the Environment”

Forty years ago today, there’s another of those well-catered greenwash events…

INDUSTRY: CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

HRH, JOHN DAVIDSON, ANTHONY BIDDLE, BRUCE FALKINGHAM, JEREMY QUICKENDEN, PATRICK WEATHERILT, WILLIAM WILKINSON, BRIAN LETCHFORD, NICOLA LYON, JONATHAN FRANKLIN, JOHN HINCH, MARTIN HOLDGATE, MICHAEL SPURR, GEOFFREY LARMINIE, RICHARD LINDSELL, ANTHONY CLEAVER and WILLIAM WALDEGRAVE 30 April 1986

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 347ppm. As of 2026 it is 428ppm, but check here for daily measures. 

The broader context was that  the environment concerns had never really completely gone away after the early 1970s. Industry had created various astroturf and greenwashing initiatives at an international level, things like the WICEM that had been meeting in, I think, Versailles, I want to say, in 1984.

 The specific context was that the ozone hole had been discovered. Amazon rainforest, deforestation, oil spills, fairly regular industrial accidents and disasters and so industry was always wanting to claim that it was a responsible corporate citizen, blah, blah, blah,

What I think we can learn from this is that you will always find politicians, especially on the right, but also centrists, which is pretty much everyone these days, are willing to play along with that, because that’s who donates the campaign funds, and that’s who provides the non-executive directorships once the party or the electorate finally tire of you. 

What happened next:  The greenwash really kicked into gear from sort of 1990 onwards. We need to think of greenwash and denial as two cheeks of the same arse.

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 30, 2007 – Rudd hires Garnaut – All Our Yesterdays

April 30, 1985 – New York Times reports C02 not the only greenhouse problem

April 30, 2001 – Dick Cheney predicts 1000 new power plants

Categories
Cameroon

August 21, 1986 – Lake Nyos disaster

Thirty-nine years ago, on this day, August 21st, 1986,

On 21 August 1986, a limnic eruption at Lake Nyos in northwestern Cameroon killed 1,746 people and 3,500 livestock.[1]

The eruption triggered the sudden release of about 100,000–300,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).[2][3] The gas cloud initially rose at nearly 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph; 28 m/s) and then, being heavier than air, descended onto nearby villages, suffocating people and livestock within 25 kilometres (16 mi) of the lake.[4][5]

A degassing system has since been installed at the lake, with the aim of reducing the concentration of CO2 in the waters and therefore the risk of further eruptions. Along with the Lake Monoun disaster two years earlier, it is one of only two recorded limnic eruptions in history

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 347ppm. 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 carbon dioxide was not something you read a lot about, back in the day.

What I think we can learn from this – carbon dioxide is not just “plant food”, as the denialists would have it.

What happened next – lots of monitoring work to make sure it couldn’t happen again.

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 21, 1961 – The UN holds a “new sources of energy” conference.

August 21, 1972 – Nature editor John Maddox says C02-temperature fear “found wanting”

August 21, 2004 – The Australian reports on Howard cabinet split over ETS – All Our Yesterdays

Categories
Australia

 June 25, 1986 – AEC meeting

Thirty nine years ago, on this day, June 25th, 1986

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 in 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 shot 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 b 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 347ppm. As of 2025 it is 430ppm, but check here for daily measures. 

The context was in September 1985 atmospheric scientists had met, compared notes and decided that all alarm bells needed to be rung about carbon dioxide.

Australian scientists had long been aware of the problem – see for example the meeting organised in 1977 by Graeme Pearman of the CSIRO, the 1978 conference on Philip Island, the 1980 AAAS symposium in Canberra, and Brian Tucker’s 1981 publication.

Meanwhile, the “Commission for the Future”, set up under the auspices of Minister for Science Barry Jones, was collaborating with the CSIRO on “the Greenhouse Project.”

What I think we can learn from this is that before an issue “breaks through” there has to be a hell of a lot of preparatory work…

What happened next is that the media started to pay a lot more attention (see the Age). Chair of the AEC Don Hopgood gave a speech.  By 1988, the issue was everywhere. And yet here we are, four decades later, having utterly, fundamentally failed. Oh well.

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 25, 2002, 2003 and 2008 – CCS’s first hype cycle builds – All Our Yesterdays

Categories
Soviet Union

 April 26, 1986 – Chernobyl

Thirty years ago, on this day, April 26th, 1986 reactor four at Chernobyl went kaboom (partial meltdown).

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 347ppm. As of 2025 it is 427ppm, but check here for daily measures. 

The context was that this was precisely the wrong time for a nuclear reactor to explode, and the absolutely terrible response at the Politburo-downwards level versus the heroics on the ground, put the lie to “glasnost” and “perestroika”, and made Gorbachev’s efforts to change the Soviet economy and society that much more difficult. I mean, he was never going to succeed, but Chernobyl was, in retrospect, kind of a nail in the coffin. It also made the pro-nuclear because of greenhouse gas arguments that much harder to make.

What I think we can learn from this is that the intersections between politics, technology, economics, culture, you name it. They’re fantastically complicated, obviously or complex. And there are times when an accident wouldn’t matter that much. I would argue that Chernobyl was exquisitely timed, and so it came to pass.

What happened next

In September 1986 a Safe Energy rally in London was held – the anti-nuke sentiment grew…

The battles over whether Chernobyl caused hundreds of deaths, 1000s of deaths, 10s of 1000s of deaths goes on. 

The cultural response to Chernobyl is interesting. 

The Star Chernobyl by Julie Voznesakaya.

There is the Arkady Renko book. 

There is that bizarre Kenneth Royce book, Fallout. 

And there is the TV show Chernobyl, which I should watch sometime, 

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 26, 1992 – Ros Kelly abjures a carbon tax – All Our Yesterdays

April 26, 1998 – New York Times front page expose on anti-climate action by industry

April 26, 1998 – “Industrial Group Plans to Battle Climate Treaty”

Categories
AFrica

 February 5, 1986 – Thomas Sankara Imperialism is the arsonist of our forests and savannas 

Thirty nine years ago, on this day, February 5th, 1986 President of Burkina Faso  Thomas Sankara dropped some truth bombs in Paris.

This struggle to defend the trees and Forests is above all a struggle against imperialism. . Imperialism is the arsonist of our forests and savannas,”  

Shttps://www.marxists.org/archive/sankara/1986/february/05.htm

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 347ppm. As of 2025 it is 426ppm, but check here for daily measures. 

The context was that Thomas Sankara was a throwback to the 1960s and 70s, military fatigue, fiery language. And here we have fiery languages, 100% accurate.

What I think we can learn from this is that people on the pointy end of capitalism, imperialism, and expropriation don’t need textbooks or PhDs to explain to them that they are getting shafted and that the planet is getting shafted. They just need their eyes. And they have them.

What happened next Sankara was killed in a bloody military coup the following year. And that kind of rhetoric about imperialism and expropriation, exploitation, devastation was not really apparent in the Brundtland Commission. Oddly enough.

For more on Sankara, see this 2020 piece on Verso’s blog.

Categories
Australia

October 12, 1986 – Ockham’s Razor and the Greenhouse Effect (ABC radio programme)

Thirty-eight years ago, on this day, October 12th, 1986, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s science discussion show, Ockham’s Razor –  soap box for all things scientific, with short talks about research, industry and policy from people with something thoughtful to say- tackled climate change… Yes. 1986.

Ockham’s Razor [Series 86, Episode 101] – The Greenhouse Effect, Part 1 – Cause – Doctor Brian Tucker [CSIRO Division of Atmospheric Research]

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 347ppm. As of 2024 it is 422ppm, but check here for daily measures. 

The context was that the CSIRO had finally been able to ring the alarm bell about carbon dioxide. And people starting to talk about it, worry about it. And it turned up on the radio. The broader context was that there had been people on ABC radio science shows since 1969, – and conceivably earlier –  warning about carbon dioxide buildup. We had Frank Fenner on 16th of September 1969 And we’d had Richie-Calder on the first ever Science Show in 1975.

What we learn is what we always learn – that we knew, we knew, we knew.

What happened next. The Commission for the Future put together the Greenhouse Project with CSIRO. It was effective in raising awareness among policy elites and mass publics in 1988 and 1989. And then they didn’t get further funding. 

And as per the Rosaleen Love’s article in Arena, it all just went away because we can’t stare into the abyss for very long…

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 12, 1976 – Jule Charney throws (private) shade on fellow climatologists…

October 12, 2007 – Judge grants mining licence, doubts climate change

Categories
Australia

August 30, 1986 – Adelaide warned about climate change by Environment Minister Don Hopgood

Thirty eight years ago, on this day, August 30th, 1986,

ADELAIDE: Ocean levels would rise about a metre over the next 60 years and have a significant effect on the Australian coastline and coastal communities, the South Australian Minister for Environment and Planning, Dr Hopgood, said yesterday.

Dr Hopgood told the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects’ national conference that the startling prediction on ocean levels was included in the most recent information on the “greenhouse effect” known to be heating up the earth.

Anon (1986) Sea level ‘to rise metre in 60 years’ Canberra Times, August 31, p1

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 348ppm. As of 2024 it is 424ppm, but check here for daily measures. 

The context was that the CSIRO, via the Australian Environment Council and elsewhere, had finally sounded the alarm bell, about climate change, CO2 buildup, sea level rise, etc. And so here’s Don Hopgood, a decent Australian South Australian politician, telling some people the facts of life of what the 21st century will be.

What we learn is that by 1986, Australian political elites were beginning to understand the shitstorm that was coming. Not all of them, not all evenly. It would be another couple of years before it really started breaking out. And then you got the denial in response to that. 

What happened next? In ‘89, they set up a South Australian greenhouse committee. And it made some fine promises.  And over time, indeed (since 2003) South Australia has reduced its electricity-based carbon emissions, thanks to clever policy-making, federal policies etc.

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 30, 1971 – Bob Carr (ex- NSW premier) ‘gets’ climate change

August 30, 1975 – The Science Show does climate change…

August 30, 1989 – A global tax on emissions?!

August 30, 1990 -Australian diplomats (probably) tried to water down IPCC recommendations

Categories
Australia

June 26, 1986 – Australian Environment Council schooled on climate

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”