ABSTRACT
This chapter offers an introduction to the intertwined histories of European colonialism and the sciences of the atmosphere. It introduces readers to the history of colonial worries about climate change, to the historical geographies of expanding meteorological networks, and to the contexts within which data about weather and climate were produced and put to work in the service of colonial interests. The chapter contends that attending to these historical processes and contexts is vital not only for understanding where climate data comes from but also for guarding against the re-production of colonial modes of thought in the application of science to present-day efforts to deal with anthropogenic climate change.
