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Fifty Climate Crisis Predictions That Failed to Materialise.

Fifty Climate Crisis Predictions That Failed to Materialise.

Throughout history, people, organisations and governments have made predictions about the future, ranging from the mundane to the apocalyptic. Some of these predictions have been remarkably accurate, while others have been completely off the mark. The list of predictions below, made by various individuals and organisations for over five decades, falls into the latter category. From catastrophic famines to impending ice ages, from depleted natural resources to cities underwater, these predictions were all supposed to have come true by now, and yet they have not. It’s a sobering reminder that predicting the future is a difficult and often unreliable task, however most of the predictions below are driven by greed, corruption and control.

1966: Oil Gone in Ten Years
1967: Dire Famine Forecast By 1975
1968: Overpopulation Will Spread Worldwide
1969: Everyone Will Disappear In a Cloud Of Blue Steam By 1989 (1969)
1969: Worldwide Plague, Overwhelming Pollution, Ecological Catastrophe, Virtual Collapse of UK by End of 20th Century
1970: America Subject to Water Rationing By 1974 and Food Rationing By 1980
1970: Decaying Pollution Will Kill all the Fish
1970: Ice Age By 2000
1970: Nitrogen buildup Will Make All Land Unusable
1970: Oceans Dead in a Decade, US Water Rationing by 1974, Food Rationing by 1980
1970: Urban Citizens Will Require Gas Masks by 1985
1970: World Will Use Up All its Natural Resources
1970s: Killer Bees!
1971: New Ice Age Coming By 2020 or 2030
1972: New Ice Age By 2070
1972: Oil Depleted in 20 Years
1972: Pending Depletion and Shortages of Gold, Tin, Oil, Natural Gas, Copper, Aluminum
1974: Another Ice Age?
1974: Ozone Depletion a ‘Great Peril to Life (data and graph)
1974: Space Satellites Show New Ice Age Coming Fast
1975: The Cooling World and a Drastic Decline in Food Production
1976: Scientific Consensus Planet Cooling, Famines imminent
1977: Department of Energy Says Oil will Peak in 1990s
1978: No End in Sight to 30-Year Cooling Trend
1980: Acid Rain Kills Life In Lakes 
1980: Peak Oil In 2000
1988: Maldive Islands will Be Underwater by 2018 (they’re not)
1988: Regional Droughts (that never happened) in 1990s
1988: Temperatures in DC Will Hit Record Highs
1988: World’s Leading Climate Expert Predicts Lower Manhattan Underwater by 2018
1989: New York City’s West Side Highway Underwater by 2019 (it’s not)
1989: Rising Sea Levels will Obliterate Nations if Nothing Done by 2000
1989: UN Warns That Entire Nations Wiped Off the Face of the Earth by 2000 From Global Warming
1996: Peak Oil in 2020
2000: Children Won’t Know what Snow Is
2000: Snowfalls Are Now a Thing of the Past
2002: Famine In 10 Years If We Don’t Give Up Eating Fish, Meat, and Dairy
2002: Peak Oil in 2010
2004: Britain will Be Siberia by 2024
2005 : Manhattan Underwater by 2015
2005: Fifty Million Climate Refugees by the Year 2020
2006: Super Hurricanes!
2008: Arctic will Be Ice Free by 2018
2008: Climate Genius Al Gore Predicts Ice-Free Arctic by 2013
2009: Climate Genius Al Gore Moves 2013 Prediction of Ice-Free Arctic to 2014
2009: Climate Genius Prince Charles Says we Have 96 Months to Save World
2009: UK Prime Minister Says 50 Days to ‘Save The Planet From Catastrophe’
2011: Washington Post Predicted Cherry Blossoms Blooming in Winter
2013: Arctic Ice-Free by 2015 (additional link)
2014: Only 500 Days Before ‘Climate Chaos’

In reviewing the list of predictions from the past six decades, it becomes clear that many of these forecasts have not come to fruition. Instead, they have been proven to be wildly inaccurate and, in some cases, outright false. The list contains dire predictions of global catastrophes, including famine, overpopulation, and ecological collapse, as well as more specific and localised events such as the disappearance of all human life in a cloud of blue steam, killer bees, and the destruction of entire nations due to rising sea levels.

The consistent failure of these doomsday predictions is not just due to incompetence or misguided beliefs. It is also driven by a combination of greed, corruption, and a desire for control. Many of these predictions are made by individuals or organisations that stand to benefit financially or politically from the public’s fear of a looming catastrophe.

In some cases, politicians use these predictions to justify policies that grant them greater control over the economy, natural resources, or individual behavior. For example, warnings of a looming oil crisis or environmental collapse have been used to justify taxes, regulations, and other policies that give governments more power over businesses and citizens.

Similarly, environmental organisations and other interest groups have a vested interest in promoting alarming predictions of disaster. By exaggerating the dangers of climate change, overpopulation, or other issues, these groups can attract donations, membership, and political influence.

The media also plays a role in perpetuating these predictions, often through sensationalised reporting and cherry-picking of data. Sensational headlines and apocalyptic imagery generate clicks and views, but they can also distort the public’s understanding of complex issues and fuel unnecessary anxiety and fear. The result is a cycle of fear-mongering and misinformation that ultimately serves the interests of a select few. Furthermore, the media has played a significant role in perpetuating these predictions, seand exaggerating potential threats to attract viewership and increase profits. 

Ultimately, the persistence of these inaccurate and exaggerated predictions suggests that they are driven by more than just a sincere concern for the future of humanity. Instead, they reflect a broader pattern of greed, corruption, and control that threatens to undermine public trust in science, government, and the media.

These failed predictions have become a source of amusement and ridicule for many, and rightfully so. When dire warnings are issued, and they fail to come to pass, it can create a sense of distrust in the scientific community and undermine the credibility of legitimate concerns about the environment and the future of our planet.

In conclusion, the list of consistently failed predictions can be attributed to a combination of greed, corruption, and control. The fear of an impending environmental catastrophe has been used as a tool by individuals and organizations seeking to profit from the public’s concerns. Some of these predictions were made by scientists who were funded by corporations with a vested interest in promoting a certain narrative. Others were made by governments seeking to justify regulations and policies that would increase their power and control over society.

While it is important to consider potential environmental risks and take proactive measures to address them, we must approach these issues with a critical eye and not allow ourselves to be manipulated by those seeking to profit from our fears. By doing so, we can work towards a future based on sound science and a commitment to preserving our planet for generations to come, free from the influence of greed, corruption, and control.

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