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Many Americans recognize that the introduction of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards was a key tools to reduce US oil demand in face of OPEC’s emergence and the various oil embargoes.  While today liquid fuel (oil) and electricity have minimal overlap in most of the developed world, few recall that oil once provided a major share of U.S. electricity production and that “increased reliance on coal was a crucial part in the Carter Administration energy program” as part of the effort to reduce oil import requirements and the risks of foreign disruption of our fuel supplies.

With this in mind, on 3 April 1980, “the most trusted man in America” spent a few minutes exploring the implications of coal burning and its carbon dioxide for global warming.

While this was actually (somewhat) true before this, 35 years ago

scientists and a few politicians are beginning to worry a global energy planning does not take the greenhouse effect seriously enough

Sadly, the timeline was perhaps too optimistic:

they fear the earth will gradually become warmer causing as yet uncertain but possibly disruptive changes in the Earth’s climate fifty to seventy years from now

35 years ago they spoke of the potential impacts on sea level rise

if the earth gets too warm for example ice caps could not raising the level of the Seas possible probable we really don’t know but if it happens it means

goodbye Miami

goodbye Corpus Christi

goodbye Sacramento

goodbye Boston

goodbye to Orleans

goodbye charleston and Savannah

transcript:

0:03

as in the ironic observation if you can’t see it don’t worry that

0:06

increased reliance on coal was a crucial part in the carter administration energy

0:11

program

0:12

but the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee heard warnings today

0:15

but a coal-burning society may be making things up for itself now somebody

0:20

reports

0:21

the so-called greenhouse effect is created by carbon dioxide a call us

0:26

odorless gas and small concentrations that helps to sustain almost all life on

0:31

Earth

0:32

the relatively small amounts of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere filter

0:37

the warming rays of the Sun to the earth’s surface

0:39

but like a greenhouse carbon dioxide also prevents heat given off by the

0:44

earth

0:44

from escaping into space researchers say increasingly large amounts of co2 are

0:50

accumulating in the atmosphere

0:52

they fear the earth will gradually become warmer causing as yet uncertain

0:56

but possibly disruptive changes in the Earth’s climate fifty to seventy years

1:01

from now

1:01

fossil fuels when burned release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere

1:06

cold the worst culprit oil and natural gas to lesser degrees

1:10

scientists and a few politicians are beginning to worry

1:14

a global energy planning does not take the greenhouse effect

1:18

seriously enough if the earth gets too warm for example

1:22

ice caps could not raising the level of the Seas

1:25

possible probable we really don’t know

1:29

but if it happens it means goodbye Miami

1:33

goodbye Corpus Christi goodbye Sacramento

1:37

goodbye Boston which obviously is much more for concern

1:41

goodbye to Orleans goodbye charleston Savannah

1:45

in 04 on the positive side it means that we could enjoy boating at the foot of

1:49

the Capitol

1:50

in fishing on the south lawn one model of climate for Jason climate model

1:55

predicts the doubling carbon dioxide will result in August in Washington DC

2:00

but or nine degrees centigrade warmer for 16 degrees Fahrenheit

2:04

then-current summers but that the winners will only be

2:08

two degrees centigrade warmer changes of this magnitude

2:12

are very probably going to have a profound effect on agriculture

2:15

on all ok aspects of energy use a generation on water and land use

2:20

one scientist put the urgency of the greenhouse potential in biblical terms

2:24

citing the warning given to know I and the Old Testament

2:28

no I knew trouble was coming he said any prepared for it

2:31

Nelson baton CBS news capitol hill