Imagine a world where your safety and financial future are at risk, and you didn’t even realize it. This is the story of how that happened, starting back in the 1970s with the creation of an energy company called Exxon. At the time, Exxon was all about innovation and decided to invest in scientific research. Interestingly, their own scientists were among the first to discover that burning fossil fuels could significantly impact the climate due to the greenhouse effect caused by carbon dioxide emissions.
It’s quite ironic that oil companies like Exxon were aware of climate change as early as the 1980s, just when oil prices were dropping. Despite this knowledge, Exxon’s leadership chose to ignore the warnings and focused on expanding their business. They did, however, encourage their scientists to continue their research. By 1982, these scientists returned with even more alarming findings. They warned that Exxon’s plans for fossil fuel extraction would lead to a warmer climate, rising sea levels, and severe droughts, which could have catastrophic consequences for humanity. They recommended a significant reduction in fossil fuel use.
In the 1980s, an email from Lenny Bernstein, a former Exxon employee, revealed that Exxon was aware that climate change concerns could lead to regulatory challenges. If they truly wanted to innovate, they could have invested in alternative energy sources. Instead, they chose to mislead the public. By the late 1980s, Exxon began to emphasize the uncertainty of climate change science, contradicting their own findings and laying the groundwork for climate change denial. An internal memo even claimed, “There is currently no unambiguous scientific evidence that the earth is warming.” Ironically, during this time, Exxon was already preparing for rising sea levels by building higher drilling platforms and planning to drill in the Arctic, anticipating melting sea ice.
As the effects of climate change became more apparent in the late 1980s, public awareness grew. Time magazine featured a cover showing the planet in shackles due to climate change. At that time, 80% of Americans recognized climate change as an issue caused by fossil fuel combustion, and it wasn’t a political issue yet. Even Republican President George H.W. Bush, during his 1988 campaign, emphasized the importance of addressing global warming and environmental preservation.
However, as oil companies feared government regulation, they increased efforts to promote climate change denial. They created misleading advertisements that looked like articles, such as one in the New York Times, suggesting the benefits of technology in the climate change debate. They secretly funded scientists to promote false narratives, despite the overwhelming scientific consensus that burning fossil fuels contributes to global warming.
In 1997, Lee Raymond, then CEO of Exxon, falsely claimed in a presentation that the earth was cooling, even though their own scientists had established the reality of the greenhouse effect over 20 years earlier. This marked the beginning of climate change becoming a political issue, with Raymond influencing George W. Bush to remove carbon dioxide from the list of pollutants.
A memo from the Republican Party acknowledged that while the scientific debate was closing against them, there was still an opportunity to challenge the science. This misinformation campaign proved effective; by 2017, around 90% of Americans were unaware of the scientific consensus on global warming, and 52% believed the threat of climate change was exaggerated.
The consequences of climate change are severe. The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide, which traps heat in the atmosphere, leading to catastrophic outcomes. By 2100, rising sea levels could cost the world $14 trillion. Since the year 2000, nine of the ten deadliest heat waves in recorded history have occurred. If current emissions continue, tropical regions could experience extreme heat for 100 to 250 days a year by 2070.
Stephen Hawking warned humanity that we have a century to leave Earth to ensure our survival. Unfortunately, the financial burden of addressing climate change will likely fall on future generations. Lee Raymond’s retirement package from ExxonMobil was a staggering $400 million, reflecting the profits made at the expense of public welfare.
Climate change is real, and misinformation has affected us all. These oil companies acted out of short-sightedness, prioritizing profit over the future. As young people, we are left to navigate this complex situation, which is fundamentally unjust. In our next discussion, we will explore potential solutions, including legal challenges against these companies and the Green New Deal in America. We will also highlight innovative scientific efforts to address these pressing issues.
Thank you for engaging with this topic. Stay informed and critical about the world around us. Follow us for more discussions on science and critical thinking. We look forward to continuing this journey with you.
Investigate the historical timeline of climate change awareness and denial, focusing on key events and figures mentioned in the article. Prepare a presentation to share your findings with the class, highlighting the role of misinformation and its impact on public perception.
Participate in a structured debate on the effectiveness of current climate change policies. Use evidence from the article to argue for or against specific measures, such as the Green New Deal, and discuss potential legal actions against companies like Exxon.
Analyze a case study on the economic and environmental impacts of climate change. Consider the consequences outlined in the article, such as rising sea levels and extreme weather events, and propose innovative solutions to mitigate these effects.
Engage in a role-playing exercise where you assume the roles of different stakeholders, including oil company executives, scientists, policymakers, and activists. Discuss and negotiate strategies to address climate change, considering the conflicting interests and ethical dilemmas presented in the article.
Write a short story or essay from the perspective of a future generation affected by the decisions made today regarding climate change. Reflect on the themes of misinformation and responsibility discussed in the article, and explore potential outcomes and solutions.
This is the story of how your safety and future finances were compromised without you ever really noticing. Back in the 1970s, there was a significant development with the creation of an energy company called Exxon. They were focused on innovation. Exxon decided to invest in scientific research, and their own scientists were among the first to present groundbreaking studies explaining that burning fossil fuels would influence the climate due to the greenhouse effect caused by carbon dioxide emissions.
Isn’t it ironic that oil companies were aware of climate change? This realization occurred in the early 1980s, just as oil prices were decreasing. Unfortunately, the leadership at Exxon chose to ignore this information and instead focused on business growth, although they did encourage their scientists to continue researching the issue. In 1982, those scientists returned with more comprehensive findings indicating that the situation was worse than previously thought. They warned that Exxon’s plans for fossil fuel extraction would warm the climate, raise sea levels, and lead to severe droughts, resulting in catastrophic consequences for humanity. They recommended a significant reduction in fossil fuel combustion.
An email from Lenny Bernstein, a former Exxon employee, noted that in the 1980s, Exxon recognized the potential for climate change concerns to lead to regulatory challenges. If Exxon truly wanted to be innovators, they could have diversified the energy sector by investing in alternative energy sources. Instead, they chose to mislead the public.
By the 1980s, an internal memo from Exxon stated that they needed to emphasize the uncertainty surrounding climate change science. They began to contradict their own scientific findings and laid the groundwork for what we now recognize as climate change denial. One internal memo claimed, “There is currently no unambiguous scientific evidence that the earth is warming.” Ironically, during this time, Exxon was already taking steps to prepare for rising sea levels by building drilling platforms higher up and planning to drill in the Arctic, anticipating the melting of sea ice.
In the late 1980s, the effects of climate change became increasingly apparent. Time magazine featured a cover depicting the planet in shackles due to climate change, and public awareness grew. At that time, 80% of Americans acknowledged climate change as an issue caused by fossil fuel combustion, and it was not yet a political matter. Republican President George H.W. Bush, during his 1988 campaign, emphasized the importance of addressing global warming and environmental preservation.
However, as oil companies began to fear government regulation, they ramped up efforts to promote climate change denial. They created misleading advertisements that resembled articles, such as one in the New York Times that suggested the benefits of technology in the climate change debate. They secretly funded scientists to promote false narratives, despite the overwhelming scientific consensus that burning fossil fuels contributes to global warming.
In 1997, Lee Raymond, then CEO of Exxon, falsely claimed in a presentation that the earth was cooling, despite the fact that their own scientists had established the reality of the greenhouse effect over 20 years earlier. This marked the beginning of climate change becoming a political issue, with Raymond influencing George W. Bush to remove carbon dioxide from the list of pollutants.
A memo from the Republican Party acknowledged that while the scientific debate was closing against them, there was still an opportunity to challenge the science. This misinformation campaign proved effective; by 2017, around 90% of Americans were unaware of the scientific consensus on global warming, and 52% believed the threat of climate change was exaggerated.
The consequences of climate change are severe. The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide, which traps heat in the atmosphere, leading to catastrophic outcomes. By 2100, rising sea levels could cost the world $14 trillion. Since the year 2000, nine of the ten deadliest heat waves in recorded history have occurred. If current emissions continue, tropical regions could experience extreme heat for 100 to 250 days a year by 2070.
Stephen Hawking warned humanity that we have a century to leave Earth to ensure our survival. Unfortunately, the financial burden of addressing climate change will likely fall on future generations. Lee Raymond’s retirement package from ExxonMobil was a staggering $400 million, reflecting the profits made at the expense of public welfare.
Climate change is real, and misinformation has affected us all. These oil companies acted out of short-sightedness, prioritizing profit over the future. As young people, we are left to navigate this complex situation, which is fundamentally unjust. In our next video, we will discuss potential solutions, including legal challenges against these companies and the Green New Deal in America. We will also highlight innovative scientific efforts to address these pressing issues.
Thank you for watching. Please subscribe to our channel for upcoming videos. We aim to engage people in science and critical thinking about the world around us. Follow us on social media, and we look forward to seeing you next week.
Climate – The long-term pattern of weather conditions in a particular area, including temperature, precipitation, and wind patterns. – Understanding the climate of a region is crucial for developing sustainable agricultural practices.
Change – The process through which something becomes different, often used in the context of environmental or scientific transformations. – The change in global temperatures over the past century has been a major focus of climate science research.
Science – The systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment. – Science plays a critical role in addressing global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss.
Misinformation – False or misleading information spread regardless of intent to deceive, often affecting public understanding of scientific issues. – Combating misinformation about vaccines is essential for public health and safety.
Fossil – The preserved remains or impression of a prehistoric organism, often used as evidence in the study of Earth’s history. – Fossil records provide valuable insights into the evolution of life on Earth.
Fuels – Substances that are burned to produce energy, often derived from natural resources such as coal, oil, or gas. – The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources is a key component of reducing carbon emissions.
Research – The systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. – Conducting interdisciplinary research is essential for developing innovative solutions to complex scientific problems.
Awareness – The knowledge or perception of a situation or fact, often related to understanding scientific or environmental issues. – Raising awareness about the impacts of plastic pollution can lead to more sustainable consumer choices.
Consequences – The results or effects of an action or condition, often used in the context of scientific predictions or environmental impacts. – The consequences of deforestation include loss of biodiversity and increased greenhouse gas emissions.
Innovation – The introduction of new ideas, methods, or products, often driving progress in science and technology. – Technological innovation in renewable energy is crucial for achieving sustainable development goals.
