This 1984 document is a presentation by Henry Shaw, a manager with Exxon Research & Engineering’s Technology Feasibility center, regarding “CO2 Greenhouse and Climate Issues.” The presentation is one of many documents from Exxon’s history, demonstrating their active research into and knowledge of anthropogenic climate change and its impacts. The presentation lists some of the […]
This October 31, 1983 letter and attached report is from Esso Eastern’s Natuna Gas Project Division’s Manager G. R. Gervasi circulated to a number of executives, engineers, and scientists in Exxon Corporation about the development of the East Natuna gas field. The letter discussed a number of concerns with the project, with a focus on […]
This is a speech to a 1982 gathering of climate scientists at the Lamont-Doherty Geophysical Observatory by Dr. E. E. David, Jr., president of the Exxon Research and Engineering Company, regarding the “greenhouse effect,” i.e. climate change, and the importance of scientific research in figuring out how to respond to it – how to “invent […]
September 2, 1982 Exxon’s Roger Cohen sends a memo to Exxon’s Al Natkin summarizing climate modeling research and the CO2 greenhouse effect. Cohen writes that while climate models vary widely and that there has not been a measurable change in the earth’s climate due increasing CO2, over the past several years have a “clear scientific […]
August 18, 1981 memo from Exxon’s Roger Cohen to Exxon’s Werner Glass with comments about Glass’ draft report on possible consequences of fossil fuel consumption out to 2030. Cohen writes that it is very likely “we will unambiguously recognize the threat by the year 2000 because of advances in climate modeling and the beginning of real […]
On May 15, 1981, Henry Shaw, a manager with Exxon Research & Engineering’s Technology Feasibility center, sent a “Preliminary Statement of Exxon’s Position on the Growth of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide” to Edward. E David Jr., president of the Exxon Research and Engineering Company. The inter-office correspondence outlined Exxon’s “current position on the CO2 Greenhouse effect” […]
This 1981 document contains a scoping study conducted by Exxon to determine whether the company should develop a more comprehensive research plan to address climate change and atmospheric C02 levels. In sum, the study concludes that Exxon should not expand its climate change research and development because its current programs “are adequate to serve Exxon’s […]
February 3, 1981 letter from Gilbert Gervasi, scientist at Esso Eastern to G.A. Northington, Exxon Research and Engineering regarding CO2 calculations for the Natuna Gas Project finding “the total release of CO2 from producing Natuna gas and burning of LNG manufactured from the gas would be almost twice that emitted by burning the equivalent amount […]
As first brought to light by Nathaniel Rich’s NYT magazine article “Losing Earth,” this document is a transcript of a 1980 meeting held by the National Commission on Air Quality (NCAQ). The meeting, requested by Congress, was held to discuss the societal implications of climate change in order to address problems “from increased carbon dioxide emissions.” […]
A 1980 report, “Review of Environmental Protection Activities for 1978-1979,” produced by Imperial Oil, Exxon’s Canadian subsidiary, again suggests that Exxon knew that CO2 was a harmful pollutant in the atmosphere in the 1970s. Lines in the document include: “It is assumed that the major contributors of CO2 are the burning of fossil fuels… There is no doubt […]