The 20th Anniversary of the "Hansen Hearing"

*This event is likely to fill up quickly! Please RSVP to Kimberly Rogovin at +1 202.452.1992 ext. 530 or krogovin@worldwatch.org no later than June 13, 2008.

A Climate Change Turning Point

1988-2008

In 1988, discussion of climate change was confined mainly to scientific journals-and was unknown to most policy makers and the media. But on June 23, Senator Timothy Wirth convened a hearing of the Senate Energy Committee to explore the issue. The lead witness was Dr. James Hansen of NASA. His testimony marked the first time a top climate scientist declared that global temperatures had risen beyond the range of natural variability. Global warming had begun.

Dr. Hansen's testimony echoed around the world and he has turned out to be the Paul Revere of climate change. Mainstream scientific thinking has swung behind his 1988 testimony, and climate change now looms as a more immediate and serious threat than ever before. But the world's governments have done little to slow emissions growth in the past two decades. Because of this delay, immediate action is now needed.

On June 23, 2008, Dr. Hansen and Senator Wirth will share their views on how the science and policy of climate change have unfolded over the past two decades-and what we must do to avoid climate catastrophe in the decades ahead.

Table Sponsors:

• Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI)
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
• Sierra Club
• Union of Concerned Scientists
• World Resources Institute (WRI)