EARTH IN CRISIS: Six Decades Of Cover-up
The Fossil Fuel Industry Has Known Of Climate Risks Since The 50s. It’s Time They Clean Up Their Mess
By Tracey MacDermott | For the GPHN
Fossil fuels have been pivotal in the rise of industrialization and economic growth. They have enabled many important advancements — from urbanization, better living standards, infrastructure and transportation to name a few. However, they are the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions — a major contributor to climate change.
Oil spills and habitat destruction from mining cause harm to other species and humans. Air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels leads to millions of premature deaths every year. Global temperatures continue to rise and the effects are mounting.
Yet President Trump is still sounding the clarion call for the world to buy more U.S. oil.
A half-century of knowledge
Fossil fuels are a finite resource. They will not last forever. If the world does not move on we risk not only continuing the harm they are creating, but an uncertain geopolitical future.
Fossil fuel companies have known since the late 1950s the threats posed by their industry. That’s nearly 60 years.
As published in a report by the Union of Concerned Scientists, internal industry documents show that by the late 1970s and early 1980s, fossil fuel companies had developed a deep and sophisticated understanding of climate change that far exceeded that of the general public and policymakers.
Selected internal documents, corporate presentations and congressional testimonies shared in the report leave little doubt that these corporations recognized the projected impacts of climate change for at least a half-century. The evidence shows that these companies possessed detailed knowledge of the risks their products posed to the planet.
The authors further highlight that three-quarters of all industrial CO2 emissions driving climate change have occurred since 1981. By that time, companies could have deployed their knowledge of climate science and taken steps to alert the public and policymakers to prevent the damage they knew their products were causing.
In 1968 the fossil fuel industry issued its own internal report, noting that “significant temperature changes are almost certain to occur by the year 2000.” The report also noted that significant temperature increases could lead to “melting of the Antarctic ice cap, rise in sea levels, warming of oceans” — and, that the “potential damage to environment could be severe.”
Fast-forward to 2026
Those warnings were not publicly disseminated for decades. Today, imagine what could have been avoided if fossil fuel magnates had insisted on acting in the world’s best interest — instead of those of themselves and their shareholders.
Fast-forward to 2026. Americans are paying higher prices for home insurance and electricity bills, choking on polluted air, suffering from extreme heat and increased vulnerability to extreme weather events — all while the oil and gas industry rakes in massive profits.
Recently, the Trump administration announced a plan to block new wind energy projects in the U.S. Says the president: “My goal is to not let any new windmill be built. They’re losers.” His administration is considering spending billions of dollars to shut down offshore wind projects, further delaying our ability to move away from fossil fuels and onto clean energy.
In Wyoming, GOP Congresswoman Harriet Hageman has proposed a bill to grant big oil legal immunity from future lawsuits that attempt to hold them liable for climate damage. Some states have passed legislation to protect the oil companies.
Excuse me? Rather than protecting companies from the damage they have caused, it is time to hold the industry accountable.
Cleaning up the mess
Rational people are beginning to call on the oil and gas industry to clean up the mess they have made. The Make Polluters Pay campaign is one organization that is working on holding big oil accountable for damages that are estimated to cost the United States nearly $1 trillion a year.
The group currently is running a step-by-step campaign, which walks participants through a series of actions that make it easy to contact your legislator, city council and governor. They give you all the tools to write letters, make calls and have the talking points to highlight when you meet with legislators.
Every Monday night is an opportunity to virtually join fellow climate activists and concerned citizens. The meetings last an hour, and they are accessible at climatechangemakers.org. Perhaps we will see each other on one of the calls.
We must call on our elected officials and other leaders and demand that those that have caused harm to our shared planet be held accountable.
Tracey MacDermott is an at-large board member of Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. She was trained as a Climate Reality Leader in 2017. She chairs the Sustainability Committee for the Business and Professional Women of Colorado and the National Federation for Business and Professional Women. Email her at traceymacdermott@gmail.com