Supposedly Exxon predicted Climate Change in the 70's

MyNameIsCharlie · February 15, 2016, 11:43:52 AM

Story

TL;DR: Exxon had its scientists run a study on fossil fuels on the environment. The results of this study are actually the most accurate to date. This study predicted disastrous effects by 2040. Exxon found gas and oil too profitable to abandon and buried the study.

Thoughts?

Sandtrap · February 15, 2016, 01:46:37 PM

Not a really surprising sentiment.

I've heard some depressing talks on the radio as of late. Apparently, there's study being done on a material that can be sprayed high up in the stratosphere. It'll bond with the chemicals up there to form reflective particles which will effectively block out sunlight, especially when applied to generated cloud systems as a whole.

What's depressing about it however, is that the researcher, who has a history of not being afraid to say shit, openly stated that even if this procedure is implemented, it'll be likely that companies will start polluting more because they have the excuse of being able to say that climate change is lessened and things are cooling off again.

Thus requiring more artificial cloud cover and spraying more wonderful sulfuric acid into our stratosphere.

Super Irish · February 15, 2016, 01:48:49 PM

Not overly surprised.

The same can be said for (Hubbards'?) Peak, a graph supposedly showing when the peak of oil discovery and producrion would be. Back then, he estimated it was going to peak by the late 60's (only 5 years from then), and by some accounts he was right.

Spoiler

You could argue that prices are low now and more oil is being produced, but it's coming from shit that was considered economically unviable in the 60's like Canadian/Alaskan tar sands, plus the economic sanctions in place in the gulf region recently being lifted. If you look at newly discovered oil fields, you'll find relatively few.

ΚΑΤΑΝΑΛΩΤΗΣ · February 15, 2016, 02:25:55 PM

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Ásgeirr · February 15, 2016, 03:36:06 PM

Not a surprise in the slightest. Profit numbs the feeling

More Than Mortal · February 15, 2016, 04:12:11 PM

Quote from: oss on February 15, 2016, 03:36:06 PM

Not a surprise in the slightest. Profit numbs the feeling

That's why they chose to not operate in what would've been the largest producing area of CO2 on the planet?

Clone Outcast · February 15, 2016, 09:47:07 PM

Oil companies will trump Co2 for the near future and it's a shame.

DisturbedMind883 · February 16, 2016, 02:53:53 AM

Yea not surprising, of course they knew

Mattie G Indahouse · February 16, 2016, 04:51:09 AM

For the Nova that has Neil deGrasse Tyson in it one of the episodes was about how old the Earth is. For the guy who was finding it out he ended up having problems at first due lead contamination. He ended up having to create a clean room in order to seal out that contamination. He discovered that the high amount of lead being in the atmosphere was due to gas containing it and he was going to report it. Regularly he was being bullied by guys who were sent by higher ups in the oil industry or some gas related industry. Even though they either knew the effects of lead or at least his evidence is sound, they still didn't want him to go public with it.

Basically it's not surprising that very profitable industries bury any negative research which could either ruin them or cause alternative means from what they're about. No matter how bad it is why go public with something which would cause you a great deal of money or even shut you down?