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Exxon Knew About Climate Change Almost 40 Years Ago
Provided by: Scientific American |Published on: March 21, 2023
Articles/Websites
9101112AP
Synopsis
This article from Scientific American explains the extent of Exxon's knowledge about carbon emissions and climate change in the 1970s and early 1980s.
Students will learn about the investigation into Exxon and the steps the company took after completing their own research on global ocean and air temperatures.
This article lays out a strong argument regarding Exxon's knowledge of climate change and how their product negatively impacts the environment.
Students will gain an understanding of the historical and environmental implications of Exxon's actions.
Additional Prerequisites
Students should understand the role fossil fuels play in climate change.
Differentiation
This article could be used in social studies classes that are discussing how individual and collective choices can impact humanity.
Economics and civics classes could use this article for a discussion or project about industries or businesses that pollute air, water, or land in indiscriminate ways and how to account for these externalities.
Try using this article as a resource in a debate about if fossil fuel companies should be liable for the environmental damages resulting from the carbon emissions from their products.
Create a class timeline using the board and sticky notes. Have students add events to the timeline as you read about them. Once the article and timeline are complete, have a class discussion reflecting on your findings.
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