This beginning scene of Wall-E depicts a post-acopalyptic Earth. The Earth has an enormous amount of environmental pollution and trash. There is little life in sight besides Wall-E and a cockroach.
Greedly proposes that Dr. Blight's computer, MAL, sends him and rigger back in time to the 1950's to burn oil, gas, and coal. MAL then describes the greenhouse effect and global warming in detail.