Documents show warnings made in 1968 of “catastrophic effects" from fossil fuel carbon emissions

JULY 25, 2017 / 8:21 AM / A DAY AGO U.S. electric industry knew of climate threat decades ago: report By Richard Valdmanis, Reuters July 25, 2017
Weirdly ScientificAmerican twisted that into: "Documents reportedly show warnings made in 1968 of “catastrophic effects" from fossil fuel carbon emissions" Reportedly? Say what? The documents say it or they don't! Perhaps they meant: it has been reported. Perhaps it's simply the latest example of SEEPAGE and gratuitously watering down climate news for political reasons
(Reuters) - The U.S. electric industry knew as far back as 1968 that burning fossil fuels might cause global warming, but cast doubt on the science of climate change and ramped up coal use for decades afterward, an environmental watchdog group said on Tuesday. The California-based Energy and Policy Institute, which opposes fossil fuels, cited documents it obtained. It said its research mirrors reporting conducted by InsideClimate News about Exxon Mobil’s early understanding of climate change, which triggered an investigation by New York’s Attorney General. The documents released by the EPI showed the Edison Electric Institute industry group was warned at its annual convention in 1968 by a member of then-President Lyndon Johnson’s administration that carbon emissions from fossil fuels could change the climate and trigger “catastrophic effects." The electric industry’s research organization, the Electric Power Research Institute, then began studying the issue in the 1970s and produced its own research that included warnings of rising CO2 levels, temperatures, and sea levels, according to the EPI, which provided links to documents supporting its findings. By 1988, the EPRI produced a report that concluded “there is a growing consensus in the community that the greenhouse gas effect is real," the EPI said. However, "rather than warn the public", the electric industry made long-term investments in coal-fired generation and joined energy industry efforts to block climate regulations - including by lobbying, funding advertisements, and funding scientists skeptical about climate change, the EPI said. ... http://www.energyandpolicy.org/utilities-knew-about-climate-change/
and the denial goes on and on and on ...
JULY 25, 2017 / 8:21 AM / A DAY AGO U.S. electric industry knew of climate threat decades ago: report By Richard Valdmanis, Reuters July 25, 2017
Weirdly ScientificAmerican twisted that into: "Documents reportedly show warnings made in 1968 of “catastrophic effects" from fossil fuel carbon emissions" Reportedly? Say what? The documents say it or they don't! Perhaps they meant: it has been reported. Perhaps it's simply the latest example of SEEPAGE and gratuitously watering down climate news for political reasons
(Reuters) - The U.S. electric industry knew as far back as 1968 that burning fossil fuels might cause global warming, but cast doubt on the science of climate change and ramped up coal use for decades afterward, an environmental watchdog group said on Tuesday. The California-based Energy and Policy Institute, which opposes fossil fuels, cited documents it obtained. It said its research mirrors reporting conducted by InsideClimate News about Exxon Mobil’s early understanding of climate change, which triggered an investigation by New York’s Attorney General. The documents released by the EPI showed the Edison Electric Institute industry group was warned at its annual convention in 1968 by a member of then-President Lyndon Johnson’s administration that carbon emissions from fossil fuels could change the climate and trigger “catastrophic effects." The electric industry’s research organization, the Electric Power Research Institute, then began studying the issue in the 1970s and produced its own research that included warnings of rising CO2 levels, temperatures, and sea levels, according to the EPI, which provided links to documents supporting its findings. By 1988, the EPRI produced a report that concluded “there is a growing consensus in the community that the greenhouse gas effect is real," the EPI said. However, "rather than warn the public", the electric industry made long-term investments in coal-fired generation and joined energy industry efforts to block climate regulations - including by lobbying, funding advertisements, and funding scientists skeptical about climate change, the EPI said. ... http://www.energyandpolicy.org/utilities-knew-about-climate-change/
and the denial goes on and on and on ...
Because human caused climate change abatement interferes with big profits. That's the only reason it's being denied. The profitmakers don't want to have to stop polluting the earth. It's too easy to make profits if you don't care about what happens to the earth. Profits are all that matter. Ask any right winger who denies human caused climate change. LL