workingclasshistory:

On this day, 1 April 1982, oil company Exxon produced a private, internal report on carbon dioxide (CO2) and the greenhouse effect. A summary of the report circulated to senior management stated that carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was concentrated at 340 ppm, and that burning fossil fuels and clearing forests was causing this figure to increase.
It does state that there was “currently no unambiguous scientific evidence that the Earth is warming” but goes on to state that global warming could be detected by 1995. It warns that this warming might be irreversible, and says that mitigating against negative effects of global warming would require a reduction in fossil fuel combustion. Exxon scientists projected that surface temperatures would warm 3-6°C above preindustrial levels by the year 2100.
The report proves that as early as the 1970s Exxon, like many fossil fuel companies, knew that their products were going to cause devastating climate change to the planet, even though it was not yet detectable. However, Exxon took no corrective action, and instead funnelled $31 million to fund misinformation campaigns to try to manufacture doubt about climate change.
Pictured: their projection of average global temperature, which have proved to be broadly accurate since. https://www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory/photos/a.296224173896073/1685095161675627/?type=3