Journalist Royce Kurmelovs has been investigating exactly what Australia’s oil and gas companies knew about climate change more than 50 years ago.
Royce describes how the industry won the support of Australia’s governments and media to cover it up for so long.
Journalist and author Royce Kurmelovs shares what Australia’s fossil fuel industry knew about climate change:
Some companies knew as early as the 60’s that climate change was happening, and that fossil fuels were involved.
“There were still uncertainties,” Kurmelovs said, however, “There was no doubt about the connection between burning fossil fuels and the effect on climate.”
“Companies like Exxon were actively researching the science of climate change in the late 70s. But that information was never shared,” he said.
Towards the 80s, there was a global disinformation campaign underway, Kurmelovs said. Companies were financing research to spread fear and doubt about the science of climate change.
“The Australian oil industry absolutely knew that there was a risk posed by continuing to burn oil, gas and coal to the greenhouse effect. As this was changing the chemical composition of the atmosphere,” he said.
Kurmelovs also makes a powerful argument for hope in the face of the climate crisis today.
Royce’s new book, ‘Slick: Australia’s toxic relationship with big oil’, is available now.
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