Episode
The Climate Apocalypse Isn’t Around the Corner (In Defense of Climate Change - Episode 4)
- Podcast
- Science From the Fringe
- Published
- May 25, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3412
- Processing state
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Summary
In the fourth episode of In Defense of Climate Change , Bryce Nickels and climate policy scholar Roger Pielke Jr. discuss what Pielke describes as one of the most consequential developments in climate science in years: the retirement of the extreme climate scenario known as RCP 8.5. Bryce and Roger unpack how a small international committee helped shape the climate scenarios that informed scientific research, media narratives, regulations, banking policy, and global climate politics for over a decade. Roger explains why many of the “worst-case” climate projections were based on implausible assumptions about future coal use and why recent updates to climate scenario frameworks represent a major course correction. The conversation explores the difference between exploratory scientific scenarios and policy roadmaps, the relationship between climate science and political decision-making, and how climate narratives influenced public policy around the world. Bryce and Roger also discuss parallels between climate science governance and debates surrounding gain-of-function research, including questions about transparency, accountability, expert authority, and the role of broader public input in scientific decision-making. ( recorded May 22, 2026 ) Get full access to Science From the Fringe at sciencefromthefringe.substack.com/subscribe