John Anderson: Conversations Why Climate Fanaticism Is Killing Us | Lord Matthew Ridley
Jul 11, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Lord Matthew Ridley, a British science writer and former member of the House of Lords, critiques the prevailing pessimism surrounding climate change. He emphasizes the essential links between affordable energy and poverty alleviation, advocating for rational energy policies. Ridley calls out the politicization of science in both climate and COVID-19 narratives, stressing the need for transparency and innovation. He highlights optimism driven by evidence as crucial for tackling global challenges and warns against dismissing alternative viewpoints.
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From Pessimism to Surprising Progress
- Lord Matthew Ridley believed pessimistic predictions as a youth, expecting doom from population and environmental crises.
- Later, he realized global poverty sharply fell and human health improved dramatically, disproving those earlier fears.
Affluence and Tech Reduce Impact
- Rising affluence and technology reduce environmental damage despite population growth.
- India's example shows more people can coexist with more wealth and better ecology, challenging the IPAT formula.
Climate Models Show Net Benefits Now
- The official climate science papers show current warming has net benefits like fewer deaths and more crop productivity.
- The commonly cited catastrophic claims about warming, storms, and sea level rise are exaggerated or unsupported by evidence so far.
