DR MICHAEL E MANN: There is a new climate war and you need to get armed
Mar 14, 2023
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Dr Michael E Mann, climate scientist and El Niño expert, discusses the role of Russian interference in the Australian carbon pricing fight and the imminent El Niño event. They also explore the tactics used in the new climate war, including conspiracy theories, and emphasize the importance of remaining hopeful and vigilant in the battle against climate change denialism.
The new climate war involves deflection, division, and doom-mongering, with blame shifted onto personal lifestyle choices rather than the fossil fuel industry, creating discord and distracting from the real issues.
Carbon credits and offsetting have limitations and challenges, with some schemes being misleading and failing to have meaningful environmental impacts, highlighting the need to address the root causes of climate change through policy and action instead of relying solely on offsetting measures.
Deep dives
The New Climate War and the Shift in Climate Debates
The podcast episode discusses the shift in climate debates from denialism to new challenges. The old climate war focused on denying the science, but that battle has largely been won. The new climate war is more deceptive, focusing on deflection, division, and doom-mongering. Deflection is used to shift blame onto personal lifestyle choices rather than the fossil fuel industry. Division is caused by creating discord and arguments among climate activists, distracting from the real issues. And doom-mongering involves painting a picture of an unstoppable and hopeless future. The episode also highlights the impact of Russian interference and online bots in stirring up arguments and discord among climate activists. The upcoming El Niño weather pattern is discussed, which is predicted to bring hot, dry conditions and increase the risk of bushfires in Australia. The podcast emphasizes the need for resilience and adaptation, but also the importance of addressing the root causes of climate change through policy and action.
The Challenges of Carbon Credits and Offsetting
The podcast delves into the challenges and limitations of carbon credits and offsetting as solutions to climate change. It discusses how some carbon credit schemes can be misleading and fail to have meaningful environmental impacts. The podcast highlights the importance of distinguishing between short-term carbon sequestration and the long-term carbon storage provided by fossil fuel reserves. It emphasizes the need to address the carbon emissions from fossil fuel extraction and burning rather than relying solely on offsetting efforts. The episode also raises concerns about the authenticity and verification of carbon credits, with examples of phony credits and questionable reforestation claims. It stresses the pressing need to transition away from fossil fuels instead of relying on offsetting measures.
Russian Interference and the Manipulation of Climate Debates
The podcast explores the role of Russian interference and online manipulation in fueling division and distractions in climate debates. It highlights the use of troll armies and bots to create discord and arguments among climate activists, diverting attention from the real issues at hand. The episode discusses the tactics employed by Russian trolls to exploit partisan fault lines and trigger heated debates. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing and resisting these manipulations to focus on the common goal of addressing climate change. The podcast also examines the impact of Russian interference on international climate negotiations, particularly during COP 27, where attempts were made to disrupt and scuttle the proceedings.
The Implications of El Niño and Australia's Vulnerability
The podcast episode highlights the potential consequences of the upcoming El Niño weather pattern in Australia and the country's vulnerability to climate change impacts. It discusses how El Niño can lead to hotter and drier conditions, increasing the risk of bushfires. The episode points out that Australia is particularly susceptible to the impacts of human-caused climate change due to its location and current climatic conditions. It emphasizes the importance of resilience and adaptive measures to prepare for and mitigate climate change impacts. The podcast highlights the need for collective action and policy changes to address the underlying causes of climate change and promote a sustainable future.
Dr Michael E. Mann (super notorious climate scientist; El Niño expert) is a Presidential Distinguished Professor of Earth & Environmental Science at the University of Pennsylvania, Director of the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media and a fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (and more such academic titles). But he is best known for bringing the world the “hockey-stick graph” back in 1999, which showed a sharp “uptick” in global temperatures since the industrial age and signalled to the world “humans did it!”.
This conversation, however, goes to a new chapter in the climate fight. We cover two doozies: the role of Russian interference in the Australian carbon pricing fight and the terrifying El Niño event set to hit as early as July. I also push Michael to be honest - does he have hope, or is it a professional front…
Michael is touring Australia with Think Inc. in May/June 2023
Pre-Order a copy of Michael’s book The Climate War here
If you need to know a bit more about me… head to my "about" page
