Ben Shapiro on climate change | Lex Fridman Podcast Clips

TL;DR

Human beings have the ability to adapt to climate change over time, but current proposed measures are unworkable. Nuclear energy should be considered as a viable solution.

Transcript

let me ask you about climate change there's a let's go from the meme to the to the profound philosophy okay the meme was there's a clip of you talking about climate change and saying that the Aquaman meme uh you said that for the sake of argument if the water level arises five to ten feet in the next hundred years people will just sell their homes ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🥺 Human beings have the ability to adapt to climate change over time, leading to the abandonment of affected areas.
• 💱 Proposed climate change policies, such as the Paris Climate Accords and the Green New Deal, are unworkable and will have minimal impact on reducing climate change.
• 🤢 Adaptation through policies like building sea walls, geoengineering, and developing carbon removal technologies should be prioritized.

Questions & Answers

Q: Can you explain your view on climate change and human contribution to it?

I have long believed that climate change is real and that humans are contributing to it. The extent of our contribution is not clear, but denying that climate change is happening is doubtful. It is important to consider to what extent we are contributing, whether it be 50% or 90%.

Q: What is your stance on current proposed climate change policies?

All of the measures currently being proposed, such as the Paris Climate Accords and the Green New Deal, are unworkable and will not effectively address climate change. Even if implemented, they would only slightly reduce the trajectory of climate change. Geopolitical dynamics and the high cost of implementation make these measures unrealistic.

Q: How do you view nuclear energy in relation to climate change?

Nuclear energy is a proven source of energy that should be embraced and expanded upon. It is a litmus test question to determine how seriously one takes climate change. If one is truly concerned about climate change, they should support nuclear energy.

Q: Why do you believe fear-mongering is not an effective approach to addressing climate change?

While fear-mongering may be seen as necessary to prompt action on a population scale, it is generally ineffective and undermines institutional trust. People cannot be scared into long-term behavioral changes, and recent events, such as the mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic, have eroded trust in institutions.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Human beings have the ability to adapt to rising water levels and changing climate over time, leading to the abandonment of affected areas.

• Proposed measures to combat climate change, such as the Paris Climate Accords and the Green New Deal, are not feasible and will have minimal impact on reducing climate change.

• The focus should be on adaptation through policies such as building sea walls, geoengineering, and developing technologies to remove carbon from the air.