Chlorofluorocarbons are first hypothesized
to cause ozone thinning.Chlorofluorocarbons are first hypothesized
to cause ozone thinning.1970
First Earth Day held in United States.19741979
Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in
Pennsylvania has partial meltdown (worst
nuclear accident in U.S. history).19731970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980International treaty (Convention on
International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)
protects endangered species.
Arab countries in Organization of Petroleum Exporting
Countries announce oil embargo against United States.1982
International treaty (Convention on
the Law of the Sea) developed to
protect ocean resources.1984
World’s worst industrial accident (Union
Carbide’s pesticide plant in Bhopal, India)
kills and injures thousands.1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 19901986
World’s worst accident at nuclear power
plant occurs in Chornobyl, Soviet Union.1989
Exxon Valdez oil tanker creates
huge oil spill in United States.1987
International treaty (Montreal
Protocol) requires countries to
phase out ozone-depleting
chemicals.1991
World’s worst oil spill occurs in
Kuwait during its war with Iraq.1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 20001992
U.N. Conference on Environment
and Development (Earth Summit)
occurs in Brazil.1994
International Conference on
Population and Development
held in Egypt.1997
Forest fires destroy more tropical
forests than ever before; Indonesia
is particularly hard hit.1999
Human population reaches 6 billion.2000
The International Treaty
on Persistent Organic
Pollutants requires
countries to phase out
highly toxic chemicals.2002
Huge oil spill off Spain’s
coast raises awareness
of ocean’s vulnerability.2005
Hurricane Katrina devastates
parts of the Gulf Coast; poor
environmental management
exacerbates effects of natural
disaster.2011
In Japan, a tsunami floods and
causes meltdown and extensive
radiation contamination at three
nuclear reactors.
Human population reaches 7 billion.2007
The Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change releases its fourth
report, concluding that “unequivocal”
warming of the climate system is “very
likely” due to human emissions.2004
Record heat waves in
Europe highlight threat
of climate change.2010
The Deepwater Horizon, an oil
drilling platform in the Gulf of
Mexico, creates an oil spill that
coats the coasts of Louisiana,
Mississippi, Alabama, and
western Florida.2001
President Bush decides the United
States will not ratify Kyoto Protocol,
which mandates reductions in
CO 2 emissions.2000 2002 2004 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011Peter Macdiar-mid/Staff/GettyImages,Inc.David McNew/Staff/
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