Cosmic Queries – Climate Solutions with Katharine Hayhoe, PhD

About This Episode

What solutions exist to fix climate change? On this Earth Day, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice answer questions about real-world climate solutions and aspects of climate change you might not be thinking about, with atmospheric scientist Katharine Hayhoe, PhD. 

Is it all industry’s fault? Is there a way to make money while cleaning things up? Learn about government subsidies on fossil fuels, climate pricing, and direct versus indirect impacts of climate change. How do we subsidize fossil fuels? What’s the difference between dramatic climate change in the past and what is happening now? Find out what paleoclimatologists think. 

How much do humans contribute to the planet’s warming? What do we do to get all this carbon out of the atmosphere? We discuss carbon capture as a solution, creating a carbon neutral fuel source for airplanes, and algae that create biofuel. How much are fuel companies helping fight greenhouse gas emissions and how much of it is just greenwashing? How do we get climate change deniers to shift their lifestyles? We take a look at climate action and some of the messaging that needs to change. 

Hear about Katharine’s book “Saving Us” and more questions from our patrons. How do we get factory farming to evolve to combat climate change? We break down Thomas Malphus’s Theory that population would outstrip food supply and why it is not happening to us. Are people hungry because of food shortage or because of some other reason? We discuss distribution networks and reengineering agriculture. What is the future of nuclear power? Are we going to get nuclear fusion? Does progress for developing nations mean even more pollution? We explore the entanglement between colonialism and fossil fuels and our steps forward after the IPCC report. 

Thanks to our Patrons Georgeanne Lavery, Pete Key, Barbara Perlik, Taurohylax, Matt Berry, Frank B, Scott Allen, Jason Cidras, Alan Of Wales, and kathy jo kroener for supporting us this week.

NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free.

About the prints that flank Neil in this video:
“Black Swan” & “White Swan” limited edition serigraph prints by Coast Salish artist Jane Kwatleematt Marston. For more information about this artist and her work, visit Inuit Gallery of Vancouver.