Carl Sagan – 1985 Testifying before Congress on the Greenhouse affect





by Cultural-Answer-321

7 comments
  1. In 1985, Carl Sagan testified before Congress on the Greenhouse effect. He begins by defining the greenhouse effect, how it is established as scientific principle, how it affects other planets in the solar system and the cause of Earth’s greenhouse effect.

    He then proceeds to report that 2+C rise in global temperature is expected by mid 21st century and then to list the consequences and how it will affect every aspect of life.

    The last part of his report is to put forth some solutions, although he expressly says he does not expect the solutions to be implemented due to lack of cooperation among nations and economic disaster to the status quo.

    edit: typo

  2. It’s almost like BigEnergy/BigOil has been lying to the public for 70+ years, but there’s nothing we can do about it.

    – Your carnivore dog is the problem.
    – Your recycling.
    – Your internet usage.
    – […]
    – Citizens are the problem, because we only exist to sell to the public.
    – Regulations bad.

  3. “Fewer government subsidies” for fossil fuel companies. Imagine such heresy.

  4. Apologies. That’s “effect” not affect. It was too late to change.

  5. Could you imagine a speech like this presented to today’s government officials or even the general populace?

  6. We knew, but it was easier to ignore because you couldn’t see the consequences everywhere. I was 9 when he testified and living in upstate New York. The summers averaged one 3 to 4 day stretch a season when it was miserably hot and a lot of people didn’t even have window AC, let alone central. It still started to get cool in September. It still usually snowed in November and sometimes October if it was gonna be a bad year. 40 degrees in winter was warm, not normal. You didn’t constantly hear about flooding in Manhattan and wildfires in California and 110 recorded temperatures in Oregon. Combined with oil company propaganda and general fear of change, denial was super common.

  7. I love and am heartbroken watching this man speak. He saw the world for how it really was and spoke truth. All while so many others were spinning up a culture war that’s now coming to its fascist conclusion.

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