Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Glaring ‘Own Goal’ by Patriarchy – Part 3

A Quick Review of Global Warming Science

By Prof. Yukio Kamino

Welcome back to our continuing exploration of patriarchy’s environmental destruction. In Part 1, we established the urgent need for ecological consciousness and examined how male-dominated systems drive climate catastrophe. Part 2 explored the physical processes behind atmospheric transformation and its devastating global impacts. Today, we trace the historical development of climate science and the warnings that went unheeded for over a century.

To understand where we stand in the history of the greenhouse gas crisis, it helps to note the major milestones achieved by global warming scientists. First, who initially recognized that human pollution of the atmosphere heats up the planet? Sources indicate it was Joseph Fourier (1768-1830), French advisor to Napoleon I: “In his 1824 work, Fourier explained that the atmosphere must retain some of Earth’s heat. He speculated that human activities might also impact Earth’s temperature” (Carlin/History News Network, 2020).

A few decades later, American social activist Eunice Newton Foote (1819-88) proved herself to be a pioneering scientist as well. Her paper “Circumstances Affecting the Heat of the Sun’s Rays” was delivered at the 1856 American Association for the Advancement of Science—though presented by a man because women were excluded from presenting their own work. She wrote: “An atmosphere of that [CO2] gas would give to our earth a high temperature” (Sommerlad, 2021). In short, today’s scientific understanding that 1) humanity drives planetary heating, and 2) fossil fuel emissions into the atmosphere cause this warming, were both established by the mid-19th century.

By the first half of the 20th century, global warming scientists already shared the same concerns held by today’s experts: CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions might heat the planet to the extent that it becomes uninhabitable for humanity. These earlier scientists worried because they observed dramatic increases in fossil fuel consumption as male-driven industrialization spread worldwide.

British engineer Guy Stewart Callendar (1898-1964) was “spotting a clear correlation between CO2 levels in the atmosphere and the global temperature,” and in 1938 he demonstrated “before the Royal Meteorological Society that the earth’s temperature had risen over the past 50 years,” making the “Callendar Effect” a common term among progressive scientists (Sommerlad, 2021). In the 1950s, their anxiety intensified when American oceanographer Roger Revelle (1909-91) discovered that 1) oceans absorb less CO2 from the atmosphere than previously assumed, and 2) CO2 remains in the atmosphere for much longer periods than previously thought, causing atmospheric density to increase faster than expected. Both findings led scientists to speculate that the planet might become too hot for humanity in the not-too-distant future (Carlin/History News Network, 2020).

Despite these early scientists’ alarm about global warming, they hesitated to loudly warn the general public because they believed, in the words of Ralf Keeling (1957-), that “atmospheric CO2 concentrations varied widely depending on place and time” (Vasquez, 2021). However, by the late 1950s, Charles Keeling (1928-2005), Ralf’s father, made three crucial breakthroughs: 1) he discovered methods to accurately measure atmospheric CO2 density, 2) found that “CO2 concentrations weren’t actually as variable as previously thought,” and 3) began measuring CO2 density at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii and the South Pole—two locations considered ideal for measurement as they were remote from direct human activity.

The results were alarming. While CO2 levels measured 315 parts per million (ppm) in 1958, by the late 1960s concentrations had risen to about 325 ppm. By 1970, Charles Keeling warned the American Philosophical Society:

“[M]ankind’s world…will be in greater immediate danger…. If the human race survives into the twenty-first century…the people living then…may…face the threat of climatic change brought about by an uncontrolled increase in atmospheric CO2 from fossil fuels” (Vasquez 2021; emphasis mine).

His warnings proved prophetic. By the time Keeling died in 2005, global CO2 levels had risen to 380 ppm, and we now live in the twenty-first century facing exactly what he predicted: “greater immediate danger” from “the threat of climatic change brought about by an uncontrolled increase in atmospheric CO2 from fossil fuels.”

Looking Ahead

Next week in Part 4, we will examine how successive U.S. administrations around 1970 responded to scientists’ escalating warnings. As we’ll see, the pattern of ignoring scientific expertise in favor of short-term economic interests would set the stage for today’s climate emergency—another tragic example of patriarchal decision-making prioritizing power over planetary survival.

Until then, I encourage you to reflect on how these scientific pioneers—including the often-overlooked contributions of women like Eunice Newton Foote—laid the groundwork for our current understanding. Their warnings, ignored for decades, now demand the urgent action that only informed, determined voices can provide.

References:

• Carlin, David/History News Network (2020). “Scientists Have Been Talking About Climate Change for More Than a Century. Here’s Why It Took So Long for the World to Listen.”
• Sommerlad, Joe (2021). “Climate crisis: The pioneering scientists who paved the way for Greta Thunberg.”
• Vasquez, Kristal (2021). “How Charles Keeling Measured the Rise of Carbon Dioxide.”

VIP Columnist

Dr. Yukio Kamino is a distinguished resource person at OISCA International, a Japanese NGO devoted to promoting ecological sustainability. With a rich academic foundation in social sciences, humanities, and metaphysics, he has contributed extensively to the fields of ecofeminism and sustainable development. Kamino’s research and writing skillfully intertwine feminist principles with ecological wisdom, illuminating the urgent need for female-led approaches to environmental crises. His work continues to inspire global dialogues on achieving a fairer, more inclusive, and ecologically conscious world.

If you are here, reading this article, you are probably interested in elevating your aspirations, taking bold leadership and leading a more meaningful life. At ShePower Club, we offer worldwide sisterhood for driven women like you! – A platform to connect, develop and amplify your voice

Come, Join the ShePower Movement!