Cleaning Up: Leadership in an Age of Climate Change

Making America Dumb Again: The Stakes of Slashing Climate Science — Ep200: Ralph Keeling & Ray Weiss

11 snips

Mar 12, 2025

Guest

Ray Weiss

Guest

Ralph Keeling

In this engaging discussion, Ralph Keeling, a Professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and son of the legendary climate scientist Charles Keeling, shares insights on the ongoing importance of the Keeling Curve in tracking carbon levels. Alongside Ray Weiss, a geochemistry expert known for his role in the Montreal Protocol, they highlight the alarming budget cuts facing climate science funding. Their conversation covers the fight against ozone depletion, the challenges of achieving net-zero emissions, and the critical need for sustained climate monitoring to inform future policies.

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ANECDOTE

Keeling Curve Origin

Dave Keeling initially measured CO2 in rivers, then air, noticing surprising regularities.
Afternoon measurements, reflecting a larger air column, revealed a core atmospheric property.

ANECDOTE

Initial Mauna Loa Readings

The Mauna Loa instrument initially showed decreasing CO2 levels, puzzling Keeling.
A power outage and subsequent readings revealed a seasonal pattern, reflecting the planet's "breathing."

INSIGHT

CO2 Levels Rising

CO2 levels are at 425 ppm, rising faster than ever due to increased fossil fuel combustion.
This acceleration is worrisome because it has profound impacts on climate and livelihoods.

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As the U.S. swings a budgetary axe at the federal government, one of the biggest casualties is climate science. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) faces a brutal 20% workforce reduction—jeopardizing critical research just when we need it most. So, what’s really at stake? And is Donald Trump Making America Dumb Again?

This week on Cleaning Up, host Bryony Worthington takes us deep inside the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, where scientists are on the front lines of tracking our planet’s most urgent environmental challenges.

Meet Ralph Keeling, the scientist carrying forward his father’s legendary legacy—the Keeling Curve, the definitive record of our atmosphere’s rising carbon dioxide levels. His decades of meticulous measurements lay bare the stark truth about climate change and why these long-term observations are more vital now than ever.

And that’s not all. We also sit down with Professor Ray Weiss, the atmospheric detective who played a key role in saving the ozone layer. His work helped drive the Montreal Protocol—one of humanity’s greatest environmental victories.

With climate science under attack, what lessons can we learn from past successes? And what happens if we stop listening to the data?

Leadership Circle:

Cleaning Up is supported by the Leadership Circle, and its founding members: Actis, Alcazar Energy, Davidson Kempner, EcoPragma Capital, EDP of Portugal, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation, SDCL and Wärtsilä. For more information on the Leadership Circle, please visit https://www.cleaningup.live.

Links:

Scripps Institution of Oceanography: https://scripps.ucsd.edu/
The Keeling Curve: https://keelingcurve.ucsd.edu/
The Keeling Curve Foundation: https://www.keelingcurve.org/
AGAGE (The Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment): https://www-air.larc.nasa.gov/missions/agage/
History of the Montreal Protocal: https://www.unep.org/ozonaction/who-we-are/about-montreal-protocol