Saving the World From Bad Ideas

• "We shouldn’t even talk about geoengineering!"

  🔍 Episode Summary:In this thought-provoking episode, Mark Lynas is joined by science writer and The Planet Remade author Oliver Morton for a candid conversation about geoengineering — the controversial set of technologies that could help us cool the planet.Oliver argues that not talking about solar geoengineering might itself be a bad idea, especially as climate change accelerates and overshoot scenarios become more likely. They explore how stratospheric aerosols, inspired by volcanic eruptions, could reflect sunlight and reduce warming, and why such solutions are currently taboo in many environmental circles.The episode tackles moral hazard, global equity, the politics of climate action, and why global South leadership is essential for legitimate discussion. Mark even finds himself inching toward changing his own mind — again.🧠 Topics Discussed:🌍 Why the conversation around geoengineering has barely moved since The Planet Remade (2015)🌡️ Solar vs. carbon dioxide removal (CDR) geoengineering🌋 Volcanoes, aerosols, and the science behind reflecting sunlight🤐 The dangers of not talking about solar geoengineering🎭 Climate discourse, moral hazard, and the “technofix” taboo⚖️ Why global South voices are critical to the legitimacy of the debate🔥 Whether the current warming justifies reconsidering “unthinkable” options💣 Nuclear weapons, termination shock, and existential risk🎵 Meatloaf, billiards, and asteroid jokes (yes, really)🧑‍🔬 Guest Bio: Oliver Morton is a senior editor at The Economist, former science writer for Nature, and author of The Planet Remade: How Geoengineering Could Change the World. He has an asteroid named after him — and no, it's not headed toward Earth.📚 Recommended ReadingThe Planet Remade – Oliver MortonPaul Crutzen’s 2006 paper on stratospheric aerosolsIPCC Special Report on 1.5°CReports by the Degrees Initiative📝 Quote Highlights:“If we have to wait until everyone agrees on how to act in order to address climate change, we are not going to address climate change.” — Oliver Morton“People say the world is burning but refuse to even consider options that might stop it from burning. That’s a hard position to defend.” — Mark Lynas🌐 About WePlanet:WePlanet is a citizen and science movement that challenges conventional thinking to defend evidence-based solutions to environmental challenges. Learn more at ⁠weplanet.org⁠.📥 Join the Conversation:💬 Got thoughts on geoengineering? Email us: ⁠[email protected]⁠📬 Sign up for updates: weplanet.org/podcast

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  59:27
• "No such thing as progress"

  🔍 Episode Summary:In the inaugural episode of Saving the World from Bad Ideas, Mark Lynas is joined by renowned psychologist and best-selling author Steven Pinker to challenge the pervasive myth that the world is in terminal decline.Steven makes the case for progress as a measurable, empirical reality, highlighting how improvements in health, literacy, poverty, and safety have transformed human life — even if we rarely hear about them. Together, they explore the psychological biases behind pessimism, the rise of reactionary politics, the dangers of nuclear weapons, and the pitfalls of modern progressive movements.From Enlightenment ideals to eco-modernism, it's a wide-ranging conversation on how to make the world better — rationally.🧠 Topics Discussed:📈 What progress really means — and how we can measure it📰 Why the media distorts our sense of reality⚙️ The Enlightenment roots of knowledge-driven human improvement🧨 Why nuclear weapons remain an existential threat🧠 How to rebuild a rational, empirical environmental movement🧵 The rise of wokeism and internal collapse of progressive institutions🇺🇸 Trumpism, authoritarianism, and global democratic backsliding🌿 Is eco-modernism the future of environmentalism?👥 How to lead change without tribalism or culture war👨‍🏫 Guest Bio:Steven Pinker is Professor of Psychology at Harvard University and the author of numerous influential books, including:Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It MattersEnlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and ProgressThe Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has DeclinedHe’s a prominent public intellectual, defender of Enlightenment values, and an optimist — but not the naive kind.📚 Recommended Reading:Enlightenment Now – Steven PinkerThe Better Angels of Our Nature – Steven PinkerWhole Earth Discipline – Stewart BrandApocalypse Never – Michael Shellenberger🎵 Tom Lehrer’s song "We Will All Go Together When We Go"💬 Quote Highlights:“The news by its very nature is bound to oversample bad things and neglect good things.” — Steven Pinker“Not all cultures are going to agree with the latest cause from elite left-wing urban American universities.” — Steven Pinker“Nuclear weapons can end civilization in a matter of hours. It’s astonishing that literally the end of the world is not an issue.” — Steven Pinker“Let's treat environmental problems as challenges to be solved, not moral failings to be punished.” — Mark Lynas🌐 About WePlanet:WePlanet is a global movement of citizens and scientists dedicated to defending the science and solutions we need to protect our environment and civilisation. Learn more at weplanet.org.📥 Join the Conversation:💬 Got thoughts? Email us: [email protected] 📬 Join our podcast mailing list: weplanet.org/podcast

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  44:08
• "Everything is getting worse!"

  🔍 Episode Summary:In this energising and data-packed conversation, Mark Lynas sits down with Hannah Ritchie, lead researcher at Our World in Data and author of Not the End of the World, to confront one of the most pervasive bad ideas out there: that everything is getting worse.Hannah argues that, while environmental challenges are real and urgent, the story of human progress is just as important — and overwhelmingly positive. From reductions in child mortality and extreme poverty to progress on clean energy and air pollution, Hannah lays out the evidence that things are getting better, and explains why excessive doomerism and moralising can get in the way of real climate action.They tackle controversial topics like degrowth, depopulation, meat consumption, nuclear and renewables, and more — all with the goal of defending optimism grounded in facts.🧠 Topics Discussed:📊 Why most people are wrong about the state of the world👶 Huge progress in child and maternal mortality🌍 The truth about extreme poverty and hunger🌳 Have we passed peak deforestation?🌬️ Air pollution: the global success story no one talks about📰 Media-driven negativity bias and noble cause corruption🐄 How reducing beef and lamb consumption could halve farmland use⚡ Why energy is solvable — but food is the real moonshot🧫 Lab-grown meat, innovation, and pragmatic environmentalism💥 Why degrowth and depopulation arguments fall flat💡 Rebranding eco-modernism and the power of “urgent optimism”👩‍🔬 Guest Bio: Hannah Ritchie is Deputy Editor and Lead Researcher at Our World in Data and author of the best-selling book Not the End of the World: How We Can Be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet. Her work focuses on using data to understand and solve the world’s biggest problems — from climate change to poverty and health. Hannah is also the co-host of the podcast Solving for Climate, where she interviews innovators working on climate solutions.📚 Recommended Reading & Resources:Not the End of the World – Hannah RitchieOur World in DataFactfulness – Hans RoslingSolving for Climate podcastThe Magic Washing Machine – Hans Rosling (YouTube)Enlightenment Now – Steven Pinker💬 Quote Highlights:“The world can be terrible, getting better, and still need to improve — all at the same time.” — Hannah Ritchie“Climate change is a catastrophic risk, but not an existential one. And that distinction matters.” — Hannah Ritchie“We don't just need anger — we need a vision for a better future to work toward.” — Hannah Ritchie“We can’t solve problems by moralising people into submission. We need good, scalable alternatives.” — Mark Lynas🌐 About WePlanet:WePlanet is a global citizen and science movement defending the science-based solutions we need to save the world — from clean energy and sustainable food to prosperity for all. Learn more at weplanet.org.📥 Join the Conversation:💬 Feedback? Thoughts? Email us: [email protected] 📬 Get alerts when new episodes drop: weplanet.org/podcast

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  1:14:03
• Launching Saving The World From Bad Ideas

  TRAILERWhat if some of the biggest obstacles to saving the planet aren’t what you think? In Saving the World from Bad Ideas, Mark Lynas—once a self-proclaimed eco-activist turned science advocate—is here to question the ideas that shape environmental debates.Are GMOs really dangerous? Is nuclear power a threat or a solution? Will billions die from climate change? With sharp discussions and guests like Steven Pinker, Hannah Ritchie, and George Monbiot, this podcast digs into the myths, misconceptions, and inconvenient truths that too often go unchallenged.If you're ready to rethink everything you thought you knew about saving the planet, hit subscribe.

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