Summary of Gregory Wrightstone: Celebrate CO2! | Tom Nelson Pod #189

00:00:00 - 00:40:00

In this episode of the Tom Nelson Podcast, the guest, Gregory Wrightstone, a geologist and author, is introduced as a climate change skeptic with a background in geology from West Virginia University. He has co-authored a study on the Marcellus Shale and published two books, "Inconvenient Facts" and "A Convenient Warning," where he argues against the climate crisis narrative. The CO2 Coalition, which he now leads, is an organization founded in 2015 that aims to make scientific information about climate change accessible to the public. They create resources like comic books, anime videos, and a series called "The Climate Chronicles" to teach science and challenge popular climate crisis narratives. During the discussion, Wrightstone speaks against the perceived simplicity of climate science, emphasizing the importance of specialized knowledge and the need to rely on experts like physicists. He mentions historical findings that cold temperatures cause more deaths than heat and encourages questioning popular narratives, comparing it to medieval witch trials where unproven beliefs were widely accepted. Wrightstone also shares his experiences with educational and geological organizations being influenced by environmental, social, and government (ESG) agendas. He and his team were even banned from the National Science Teaching Association's annual meeting for promoting material that challenged the organization's position on climate change. The CO2 Coalition has been working to make a difference in education at the state level, banning inaccurate books, and providing resources like CO2 meters and experiments to teachers. Despite facing censorship on platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook, Wrightstone remains optimistic, seeing growing interest in the science and data they provide. He encourages listeners to question popular narratives and understand historical trends in climate to gain a more accurate perspective. The podcast also touches on revolutionary findings about the nutritional value of crops and the impact of CO2 and ongoing projects like a study on CO2 in nutrition

• 00:00:00 In this section of the podcast, Tom Nelson introduces his guest, Gregory Wrightstone, a geologist and author who opposes the climate crisis narrative. Wrightstone has a background in geology from West Virginia University and co-authored the first comprehensive peer-reviewed study on the Marcellus Shale, the largest natural gas field on Earth. He became interested in climate change and published his first book, "Inconvenient Facts," in 2015. In his second book, "A Convenient Warning," Wrightstone argues that there is no climate crisis, and Earth's ecosystems are thriving due to warming and increased CO2 levels. He encourages people to celebrate these benefits instead of being told otherwise by institutions like NASA, the UN, and the media. Wrightstone also discusses the CO2 Coalition, which he joined in late 2020 and now leads. The organization was founded in 2015 by Will Happer and focuses on making scientific information about climate change accessible to the general public. Over the last three years, the CO2 Coalition has grown significantly, with an increase in staff and donors responding to their message. The organization's website is filled with resources for climate realists
• 00:05:00 In this section, Greg Wrightstone discusses the initiatives of his organization, which includes creating comic books and anime videos in Manga style to teach science, especially about climate change. The team employs a full-time artist, Thiago Helinger, from Brazil, and a senior education advisor, Dr. Sharon Camp, who has a PhD in analytic chemistry. They recently launched a new series called "The Climate Chronicles," which consists of high-quality, professionally produced videos. John Clauser, a Nobel laureate in physics, is a new addition to their board of directors and has been a prominent figure advocating against the danger of particulate matter less than 2.5 microns and challenging the science behind climate change initiatives. The organization now has over 150 esteemed scientists and notable climate skeptics as members
• 00:10:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "Gregory Wrightstone: Celebrate CO2! | Tom Nelson Pod #189," the speaker discusses the misunderstanding that climate science is simple enough for a child or even a monkey to understand. He emphasizes his role as a geologist, admitting his lack of expertise in physics and relying on trusted physicists like William Happer and Richard Linden. The IPCC has estimated that doubling CO2 levels could result in around 4.5 degrees Celsius of warming, but the trusted physicists argue that it is likely to be less than 1.5 degrees Celsius. The speaker also highlights the historical benefits of warmer temperatures, contrasting the term "climate optima" used previously to describe warm periods with abundant life and food, to the modern-day narrative that warmer is horrific and colder is better. Michael Mann, a prominent climate scientist, once suggested that the ideal temperature for Earth was before the addition of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, which would have put us in the middle of the Little Ice Age, a period marked by crop failures, famines, and even proposals to abandon entire countries. Overall, the discussion emphasizes the importance of understanding historical trends in climate and their impact on human civilization to gain a more accurate perspective on the current situation
• 00:15:00 In this section of the "Gregory Wrightstone: Celebrate CO2!" podcast by Tom Nelson (Pod #189), Wrightstone discusses the historical significance of extreme temperatures, specifically cold, on human populations. He references various studies that have shown significantly more deaths caused by cold than heat. Wrightstone also highlights an intriguing aspect of heat-related deaths: the "mortality window," where people who were close to death succumb easily to heat, but cold seems to be an equal opportunity killer. In the context of current climate debates, Wrightstone compares the belief in deadly consequences from CO2 emissions to the hysteria surrounding witch trials in historic times, where educated elites believed in false notions while ordinary people were harder to fool. He encourages questioning popular narratives about environmental dangers, as many claimed issues, such as desert expansion and increasing fires, are improving, not getting worse
• 00:20:00 In this section of the podcast titled "Gregory Wrightstone: Celebrate CO2!", the hosts discuss the ongoing regional and state studies, starting with Wyoming. They find that while the temperature in Wyoming has increased by about 1.2 degrees, it is the cold nighttime temperatures that are increasing significantly. This warming trend, along with the increase in CO2 and the use of nitrogen fertilizers, have contributed to the growth of more crops and the fertilization of plants, essential for agriculture. However, those promoting Net Zero want to eliminate nitrogen fertilizers, reduce CO2 levels, and use geo-engineering to block the sun. A recent study by Dr. Haer and Lindon predicts that continued implementation of these proposals could lead to millions of deaths due to famine. The hosts cite the agricultural crisis in Sri Lanka, where the president banned nitrogen ferturizers and the entire agricultural system collapsed within nine months. Sri Lanka is also known for its tea and Star Sapphires, which are initially gray in color but turn blue when heated in a crucible
• 00:25:00 In this section of the interview, Gregory Wrightstone discusses his experiences with certain organizations in the geology and education fields being taken over by those promoting environmental, social, and government (ESG) agendas. He mentions how these groups have shifted their focus from oil and gas exploration to carbon capture and sequestration. Wrightstone and his team were even kicked out of the National Science Teaching Association's annual meeting for promoting materials that challenged the organization's position on climate change. He believes the rank and file within these organizations do not believe in the climate crisis being promoted at the top. They have taken on the challenge to bring critical thinking and scientific method back into the conversation at various homeschool conferences, starting with a workshop in Pennsylvania
• 00:30:00 In this section of the podcast, Gregory Wrightstone discusses the efforts of the CO2 Coalition to make a difference in education at the state level. They have successfully banned books with inaccurate information about CO2 and have provided CO2 meters and experiments to teachers. Wrightstone is optimistic about the progress being made in spreading the "Gospel of more CO2" and sees more people understanding the climate realist position. He mentions being censored on platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook but finds success on Twitter and YouTube. The CO2 Coalition is expanding its outreach efforts by bringing on third-party contractors for digital marketing and advertising.Despite facing censorship, Wrightstone remains hopeful and sees growing interest in the science and data they provide
• 00:35:00 In this section of the podcast, Tom Nelson discusses the various scientists and experts who have appeared on his show, highlighting the communicative abilities of individuals like Patrick Moore and fire experts, as well as ongoing research into the nutritional value of crops and the impact of CO2. Nelson mentions that he and Dr. Will Haer are conducting a new study on CO2 in nutrition, focusing on the nutritional value of corn, wheat, and other crops as CO2 levels increase. Nelson also notes his own busy schedule filled with interviews, organization work, and upcoming events, including a coal tour, a press conference, and a presentation at the University of Wyoming. Nelson expresses his admiration for Dr. Haer, who has written the forward to Nelson's book
• 00:40:00 In this section of the podcast, the host and his guest, Gregory Wrightstone, discuss Wrightstone's recent travels to Paraguay and Australia where he spoke against Net Zero policies. They express admiration for Wrightstone's tireless advocacy for science and his role in persuading the Paraguayan delegation to vote against a resolution at the COP 28 meeting. The guest promotes his book "Convenient Warming" and the CO2 Coalition's educational materials, including a children's book about solar-powered cat, "Simon