What happened to the predicted ice age in the 70's?

Question

I remember and have since been reminded that during the mid to late 70's the world was in panic about the coming ice age. What happened there? How did the environmental scientists get it so wrong?

Also, through out the 80's and 90's the big panic was about the whole in the Ozone layer, but now it’s never mentioned. Is it still there? Has it closed itself?

Finally, since CO2 and Global Warming is the big panic for this decade. What will be the huge issue and panic in the next 20 years when CO2 and Global Warming is just a distant memory?

Answer 1

They've gone from freezing to bits to roasting to bits in the space of 25 years.

So in the next 25 years they're bound to predict us having everyday holiday weather and so will introduce a 'seaside tax' to stop shore erosion and for the litter clearance (done fortnightly).

Answer 2

This is the same crowd but a different crisis for grants and headlines. There is money to be made in going "green" and most of the scientific shysters are going to find it.

Answer 3

There never was a scientific consensus that there would be global cooling in the 70s.  Just a few guys with a theory, little data, and no backing on the idea from any major scientific organizations.  More here:

http://www.realclimate.org/index.php?p=1...

In fact, they more resemble the global warming skeptics of today.

The ozone layer has been healing thanks to an International treaty to reduce the use of cholorofluorcarbons, the Montreal Protocol.  It could be the model for a successful International treaty on global warming, since Kyoto doesn't seem to be working.  More here:

http://www.theozonehole.com/montreal.htm

In 20 years (or 100) global warming will be the major issue still.  It's real, and it's a big deal.

"I wasn’t convinced by a person or any interest group—it was the data that got me. I was utterly convinced of this connection between the burning of fossil fuels and climate change. And I was convinced that if we didn’t do something about this, we would be in deep trouble.”

Vice Admiral Richard H. Truly, USN (Ret.)

Former NASA Administrator, Shuttle Astronaut and the first Commander of the Naval Space Command

Here's a nice picture of that data:

http://www.globalwarmingart.com/wiki/Ima...

Answer 4

Well for the ozone layer thing - this is really no longer a concern because the hole in the ozone layer was due to CFC gases - however thier use has pretty much been eradicated and thus yes the hole is closing.

With regards to global warming yes I believe it is just something that is being blown out of proportion. Much of the evidence for man being responsible for global warming is based on studies of correlation - as the amount of CO2 usage has increased so to as the warming of the planet. However the problem with correlational studies is they do not tell us anything about causation. I don't believe man is responsible for global warming - not entirely anyway. There is evidence that the planet throughout history as had spells of extremely hot weather and extremely cold weather. Basically it is cyclicic (sp)? And thus I just think the earth is entering another period of natural warming.

Likewise the predicted ice age was only predicted because research had demonstrated that the earth had period of ice age every so many years and thus it was predicted that another ice age was due.

Far too many people take science as fact. Science does not produce facts. It produce theories!

Answer 5

if global warming melts the ice caps,it actually could trigger an ice age.

great britain is on the same lattitude as labrador which is freezing cold and almost uninhabitable.

the only reason great britain enjoys milder weather is because of the gulf stream which feeds warm water around the coast and raises the temperature.

if the ice caps melt,then the gulf stream would stop,and plunge britain and europe into an ice age.