Of all sad words of tongue or pen the saddest are these: 'It might have been'

The report starts off with a blunt warning: "Man is setting in motion a series of events that seem certain to cause a significant warming of world climates over the next decades unless mitigating steps are taken immediately." It adds, "Enlightened policies in the management of fossil fuels and forests can delay or avoid these changes, but the time for implementing the policies is fast passing."

The date on that report? 1979.