The Genuinely Interested Podcast Ep 53 - Simon Donner - Climate Change Explained
Simon Donner is a Professor of Climatology at the University of British Columbia (UBC). He studies why climate matters to society, as well as to ecosystems like coral reefs. His group’s work provides insight into the causes and effects of climate change, public attitudes, policy options at home and abroad, and what can be done to adapt. I've wanted to have a conversation about climate change for a long time - its impacts, the misinformation around this hot button topic - and Simon was the perfect guest to discuss this with.
For some reason, climate change is one of the only scientific fields that gets "debunked" or "denied", usually by special interest groups with financial incentives or political ideologies. The science is very clear and very settled (unlike what some media outlets say), and there is actually nothing to dispute. The facts are in -the climate is rapidly changing, and it is due to human activity. We have actually known this, to some degree, for over 100 years.
Simon and I discussed the complexity that is climate, what happens to us/world if we continue 'business as usual', how to get people to care, who will suffer the worst consequences of climate change, and why climate change is actually a human issue (not solely an environmental issue). Simon also debunks some of the most common myths circulating the Internet.
Enjoy the Episode!
My Take: Instead of celebrities, we should pay more attention to scientists, the people who are actually trying to educate and save the planet and its inhabitants. Climate change is the number one threat we currently face. If we do not act with urgency, future generations will suffer dire consequences. Let's rise above politics, and individually do the best we can to avoid runaway climate change from happening.
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