Just How WRONG Were ABC and NBC’s Climate Predictions? (Hint: NYC Not Underwater)

In June, two wildly incorrect climate forecasts celebrated their anniversaries. And since ABC and the NBC-owned SyFy Channel don’t like to be embarrassed by explaining their botched global warming prognosticating, we’ll do it for them. 

Fourteen years ago, on June 12, 2008, ABC’s Earth 2100The 2015 year in the future was covered by a special. Bob Woodruff, Correspondent revealed that this program puts participants into the future and requires them to share their experiences with the world. The first stop is the year 2015.” 

The special featured one of ABC’s experts warning that in 2015 the sea level would rise quickly. A graphic on screen showed New York City becoming submerged by water. (Spoiler alert: That didn’t happen.)

Interestingly, the special included predictions such as this one from the future world of 2015: “Gas reached over $9 a gallon.” Now, while gas was actually $2.75 on that day, it IS skyrocketing in 2022. But the cause is energy-related and related to production. It isn’t the end of the world. 

On June 13, 2008, ABCNews.com promoted the special by hyperventilating, “Are we living in the last century of our civilization?” The special made predictions all the way through 2100. (A “storm of the century” wipes out Miami. Earth’s population is expected to be only 2.7 billion by 2084. You can check back over the coming decades for more information. 

Matt Lauer, not yet disgraced, hosted an episode of SyFy’s special on June 14th 2006. It was ominously called Countdown to Doomsday. We’re still here, so it must continue. Lauer blamed his fellow humans: “We are the problem.” 

The NBC host predicted a rapid end of civilization and offered tired warnings about overpopulation. 

The Earth’s life is disappearing much faster today than it was when the dinosaurs went extinct. However, there are very different reasons ….Humans sapiens have been as devastating as any asteroid. Earth’s intricate web of ecosystems thrived for millions of years as natural paradises, until we came along, paved paradise, and put up a parking lot. We are destroying the natural world that we depend on ….. The stark truth is we are too dependent on it ….. Although global efforts are necessary to fix this problem, there are simple solutions: Reduce consumption, control the population and recycle.

Don’t worry though. You can push the date back with DOOM prediction from media. 2015 may not have submerged New York City, but there’s always 2025? 2031? 

More examples are available from the FLASHBACK series (which we call NewsBusters Time Machine). Go here.