Summary of Hans Labohm: Chronicles of Climate Hysteria | Tom Nelson Pod #224

00:00:00 - 00:40:00

In the "Hans Labohm: Chronicles of Climate Hysteria" podcast episode 224 by Tom Nelson, Dutch economist and author Hans Labohm discusses his views on climate fearmongering and the relationship between CO2 levels and global temperatures. He challenges the belief that there is an imminent climate emergency, presenting data from satellite-based temperature graphs and discussing the historical shift from fears of global cooling to global warming. Labohm also disputes the claims of alarming CO2 concentration increases and temperature rises, pointing out that predictions of climate models significantly exceed real-world measurements. He mentions natural factors like volcanic eruptions and solar activity that can impact temperature trends and questions the common belief that glaciers have always existed. Labohm also criticizes the reliability of climate models and the ineffectiveness of international agreements aimed at reducing CO2 emissions. He believes that climate policy should be based on facts rather than flawed models and that there is no climate crisis. Hans also expresses his concern about the hostility towards opposing views in the climate science debate and the impact of the climate catastrophe narrative on energy prices and the financial world's focus on ESG. Private concerns of scientists who agree with climate criticism but are hesitant to express their views publicly are also discussed. Hans believes that right-leaning political parties in Europe may influence the direction of climate policies in the future.

• 00:00:00 In this section of the podcast, Hans Labohm, a Dutch economist and author of the book "Chronicles of Climate Hysteria," discusses the evolution of climate fearmongering over the past few decades. He mentions how the focus shifted from fears of global cooling in the 1970s to global warming in the 1980s and 90s, and how the media continues to fuel panic about the issue. According to Labohm, most people believe that there is an imminent climate emergency due to rising global temperatures caused primarily by anthropogenic CO2 emissions. However, he challenges this belief by presenting data from a satellite-based temperature graph, which shows that while temperatures are indeed rising, there have been fluctuations since 1998, and the most recent spike is likely not caused by CO2 emissions but by natural factors.
• 00:05:00 In this section of the "Hans Labohm: Chronicles of Climate Hysteria" podcast episode 224, Hans Labohm discusses the relationship between atmospheric CO2 levels and global temperatures. He explains that scientists once believed there was a strong correlation between the two based on older data, but more accurate measurements revealed that CO2 actually follows temperature changes with a lag of about 800 years. Labohm also clarifies that the current CO2 concentration in the atmosphere is only 0.04%, much less than many people assume. He also mentions natural factors like volcanic eruptions and solar activity that can impact temperature trends.
• 00:10:00 In this section of the "Hans Labohm: Chronicles of Climate Hysteria" podcast episode 224 by Tom Nelson, Labohm disputes the claims of alarming increases in CO2 concentration and temperature rise in the atmosphere. He points out that the increase in CO2 concentration is linear, not exponential, and that the predictions of climate models significantly exceed real-world measurements. Regarding sea level rise, Labohm asserts that it is occurring at a modest, linear rate with no acceleration. He also mentions that predictions of ice-free North Poles have been inaccurate, and that global warming is beneficial for biodiversity.
• 00:15:00 In this section of the "Hans Labohm: Chronicles of Climate Hysteria" podcast episode 224 by Tom Nelson, Labohm challenges the common belief that glaciers have always existed and that their melting is a recent phenomenon caused by human-induced CO2 emissions. He cites the discovery of an Iceman in the Alps, who lived around 5,000 years ago, as evidence that the glaciers were not present during that time. Labohm also points out that the number of climate-related deaths has decreased over the last century due to human advancements in dealing with extreme weather, and that there is no clear correlation between weather extremes and CO2 emissions, whether natural or man-made. Additionally, Labohm mentions that the number of hurricanes, forest fires, droughts, and floods has been declining, contradicting the claim that weather extremes are increasing due to CO2 emissions.
• 00:20:00 In this section of the "Hans Labohm: Chronicles of Climate Hysteria" podcast episode, Tom Nelson discusses the polar bear population and the reliability of climate models. Contrary to popular belief, polar bears are not on the verge of extinction, but their numbers have increased significantly. Climate models have a history of inaccurate predictions, including global cooling, rising sea levels, and melting glaciers, which have all been retracted. As an economist, Nelson expresses his skepticism about the settled state of climate science, acknowledging that there are still significant gaps in our understanding of the climate system. Despite the Paris Agreement's goal of preventing the world's temperature from rising by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, Nelson does not believe the planet is safe from the potential consequences of climate change.
• 00:25:00 In this section of the "Hans Labohm: Chronicles of Climate Hysteria" podcast episode, Hans discusses the ineffectiveness of international agreements aimed at reducing CO2 emissions and the insignificant impact these agreements have on global warming. He argues that climate policy should not be based on flawed climate models but on facts, and that there is no climate crisis. Hans also criticizes the use of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, for their intermittent nature and lack of ability to power modern economies. He believes that CO2 is not harmful and is essential for plant growth, and that a prosperous nation should invest in clean production technology rather than implementing pointless climate policies that increase energy prices and harm the economy. Hans also mentions that there is a page on the Smog Blog that attempts to smear him, but acknowledges that while the blog does publish some good information about his point of view, it is contrary to the message of the Smog Blog itself.
• 00:30:00 In this section of the podcast, Hans Labohm discusses the unique hostility towards opposing views in the climate science debate. He shares his personal experience of being shunned for his climate statements and how most like-minded individuals are relegated to social media for disseminating their ideas, while mainstream media refuses to publish anything counter to the official climate narrative. Labohm also touches upon the climate catastrophe narrative and its impact on energy prices, which leads to high inflation. He mentions the financial world's focus on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and the underinvestment in new energy exploration and exploitation, contributing to the rise in energy prices. Labohm admits that he started as a believer in the climate narrative but changed his stance after examining the data and finding it lacking. He recalls reading policy documents from the 1980s and noticing the frequent use of the word "uncertainty," which he took seriously, but was later overshadowed by the alarmist narrative that gained prominence in the climate debate.
• 00:35:00 In this section of the podcast, Hans Labohm discusses the private concerns of scientists who agree with climate criticism but are hesitant to express their views publicly due to potential reputational damage and loss of income. He mentions that even organizations unrelated to climate have adopted the climate narrative, creating a culture of "True Believers." Labohm expresses his belief that a large number of people privately disagree with the official climate narrative but are indoctrinated and may take longer to openly challenge it. He also mentions the emergence of a reassessment of the role of CO2 in scientific literature and the political isolation of the West in the international climate debate.
• 00:40:00 In this section of the podcast, Hans Labohm discusses the potential impact of right-leaning political parties in Europe on climate policies such as the Green Deal. He believes that these parties, which are gaining momentum and may soon form a majority in the European Parliament, will influence the direction of climate policies. Labohm acknowledges that not all climate advocates will agree with his perspective.