+Nolan Thiessen I would have appreciated a scientist instead of a bureaucrat/politician, but it is still cool to see such an influential person speaking on here
+Nolan Thiessen Don't really know why would SciShow do an interview like this, i mean, they realize the difference between scientific data and political propaganda. Doubt this would make the show more popular either, since it would only be the case if someone had no idea who she is and thought "oh they are interviewing someone knowledgeable and important, good for them" and then didn't even watch the video :/
+LazerLord10 Pretty much. People don't want to have to live with the fact that their lack of action is part of the problem, so they just deny it instead. That way they can continue to be lazy without the guilt...
BobWidlefish Science can never be synonymous with propaganda. It's propaganda if it's political, or needs convincing. No convincing should have to be done here. Rather that's on the part of the deniers, who refuse to accept that this is not a political debate, but rather a scientific issue that needs to be dealt with.
Personally I'm really glad that scishow did this. It's great to spread awareness! However, I really feel like the president was mentioned a little too much by her, almost as if it's just as much spreading awareness as it is a PR move for the president. I have a strong feeling that the EPA came to scishow and not the other way around.
+Robert Armstrong Oh for a Clean Government Act... in Australia at least :( Guess I should be grateful we don't have Pootin (deliberately misspelt - before anyone points it out).
Why is this disliked? Climate change is a real problem and this is one of the most influential people on this problem right here being interviewed. Come on people.
+Skinjacker Because people either a) don't believe it because the media still talks about this problem as if it might not be true or b) don't like the idea of making changes to their life for the betterment of the future. Or people just don't like interviews I guess.
MegaMementoMori That doesn't matter. This isn't a competition. We SHOULD be working together to try and fix this. If we don't, this might lead to the end of most life on this Earth. We've already killed 40% of all species on here.
+SciShow We are at that point in this world where it is time to put down "This Country did this and that country did that!" We are one insignificant world. A Pale Blue Dot, if you will. (Thank you Carl Sagan)
+SciShow Climate change is a statistical issue but I have NEVER seen compelling statistical data on the subject despite searching. YOU WANT US TO ACCEPT SCIENCE ON FAITH.... *Someone is clearly lying*
+SciShow We have a problem in Finland with wind power. It's being supported by the government heavily, so heavily in fact that coal plants are not being renewed or constructed when our power consumption is going up. Why is this bad? Because during the winter, it can get so cold that the wind powerplants cannot function. To make matters worse, this is also the time at which we need the most power, because it's cold. So wind and solar is not the way to go. Out of the current options, sadly, Nuclear power is the most viable solution. And then there is McCarthy, clearly not understanding the HARSH realities of energy production and consumption. Never should anyone rate solar or wind powerplants by Watts, those numbers always lie so much. Somewhat better is to measure what it makes a year, and divide it that by the time. This number is bad also, because it doesn't tell how much of the power it produced went to actual use. SciShow, this is a great issue which to make videos about, wink wink.
+Michael P Yes, someone is clearly lying. Either that or they don't recognize statistical data when they see it. Took me about 5 seconds to find these on Google... www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg1/en/ch9s9-7.html www.scientificamerican.com/article/seven-answers-to-climate-contrarian-nonsense/ climate.nasa.gov/evidence/ www.skepticalscience.com/empirical-evidence-for-global-warming.htm
+Inorganic Vegan does any one know if the waste/ pollution byproducts from solar is easier to capture and mitigate. (I'm assuming most of these are created during the manufacturing process) please advise on a good source to find out more on this.
Billywashere89 I just spend like 20 minutes looking through the literature about that question and couldn't find much. Must studies done have been around the lifecycle emissions of PV. I too also feel like the waste from PV manufacturing isn't *that* bad seeing as there are factories in Canada / US which have relatively strict environmental laws.
I spent 45 minutes on phone and by permutations to record our more then informative minis the attempt to blow smoke up a sitting and unappreciated orifice. Our government and tool's like propaganda mantra . Liked your comment. Peace
I have to be honest, I am a bit disappointed to see that Nuclear power, the safest, cleanest, and most energy dense power source, has been left out of the discussion.
+Nick Joslin Considering nuclear energy produces a waste that doesn't degrade safely and has to be stored underground for hundreds of years (at least) and has contributed to making areas of the Earth uninhabitable, it has been kicked out of the discussion for years now. Sorry.
QueenPikmin Hmmm...if only there was something useful we could do with that waste. Maybe reprocessing that waste to be reused as fuel in breeder style reactors isn't such a bad idea. All of the current high level waste produced by today's PWR/BWR's still contains enough energy to power all of the US's current energy needs for over 1000 years. To think that we are ever going to build 1960's and 1970's era reactors like that of Fukushima or Chernobyl again is absolutely foolish. There are plenty of reactor designs that are literally walkaway safe, the problem is that there has been little to no R&D in nuclear power since about the 1970's. Even considering the disasters at Chernobyl and Fukushima, nuclear power, in it's incredibly outdated form, is still unquestionably the safest form of energy production in terms of deaths per terawatt hour.
+Nick Joslin There's been research into it. LFTR, for instance, is a great design (in addition to being ridiculously safe compared to most other options, it's functionally impossible to use the reactor for nuclear weapons development -- which means it's remarkably safe from a geopolitical perspective, too). We just, uh, seem terrified of the stuff.
Politicians denying climate change is a joke. HOWEVER People who are skeptical MAN-MADE climate change exists are wise. Argue with me in the comments. I want to know where this goes. But seriously. We can't tell. First point: medieval warming period. Let's not be too fast to shove regulations up people's asses please.
TenLetters123 I mean, with all due respect, you are not a climate scientist who has spent years studying the field and how molecules interact with our atmosphere. All of them say it is man made. The reason why we (people who aren't climate scientists) say it's man made is because scientist say it's man made. Holding on to small reasons to why it is not happening is called confirmation bias; where one ignores vast amounts of credible sources because there are a few possibly credible sources that support your reasoning. I mean, if it makes you feel better, I have a scientific bias. Not too shabby a bias though...
Luckily for the world, Canadians just elected a new government that is climate friendly as opposed to their previous right wing Conservative government that put up roadblocks against any climate friendly initiatives and this should be very helpful at the climate change summit.
Although I do believe in lowering our emissions, the Kyoto Protocol is politically dangerous. It gives away our sovereignty and many of our civil liberties may be violated in the process of enforcing it.
+John Kim Yeah yeah, I think what you're trying to say is that US people's civil liberties are just so much more important yet fragile than all other countries, including western countries such as EU members -- who, for the record, did sign the Kyoto Protocol -- that it's just not right for American to sign Kyoto Protocol. Good thing is that Canada is following US as usual.
+The Blue Farmer Because it's grossly overstated in Cowspiracy and it's not as big of deal as fossil fuel consumption (not to say it's not worth talking about at all). tcktcktck.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/World-GHG-Emissions-Ecofys-2013.jpg
+The Blue Farmer The image itself is hosted on a random wordpress page, but the infographic itself comes from Ecofys, a world leading environmental consultant group using data mostly from the IEA.
Please keep us updated on what happens at the conference! SciShow would be the perfect place to learn about what new efforts are being made to fight climate change.
Gina, how do you explain how your agency, designed to protect the environment, was responsible for the largest single act of pollution in US history. I am, of course, referring to the action taken by the EPA on the Gold King Mine. The EPA went against their own tests and opened the mine. This resulted in the spilling of 3 million gallons of toxic water into the Animas River. This turned the river bright orange, and killed who knows how many aquatic animals and plants and l land based creatures that depended on the Animas River. This is without mentioning the people who depend on that river. This is unacceptable for your organization. How can you talk with authority on anything when you don't even follow your own rules and regulations? The spill has since spread to the Colorado River and has had effects of Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico. How do you answer to this?
Hmm! Fascinating interview. It's good to hear that she's hopeful, and that renewable energies are gaining traction. Thank you for asking the hard-hitting question about fracking... it's too bad that she danced around really addressing the topic of the pollution of the land and water systems it causes. It's also too bad that the fracking industry has bought itself exemptions from lots of environmental protection laws... she probably wishes she could do something about it, but can't in most cases.
Wonderful interview! I hope that the talks become truly productive, and that there is a way to ensure that whatever agreements are made are enforced strictly and without exemptions.
Fracking has been largely unregulated. Companies need to disclose the chemicals used in the fracking process, and be responsive to the local communities nearby the site. I am glad the EPA is on the path to regulate fracking.
Just another superbly crooked arm of our wonderful government. Working with several high-end contractors in NC, I can tell you first hand that if you grease their palms you can fill swamplands and wetlands with great enthusiasm. If you can't afford to, even filling in a self dug fish pond can net you hefty fines and/or jail time. I wouldn't give her a glass of water if she was on fire.
This feels very optimistic. Its like "We can do this, we can obtain our goals after evaluating the situation". I mean..i never knew that solar has improved that much or that people actually use solar against natural energy. How can i know? I live in a well after all. I feel satisfied, even though such "change" has not yet occurred in my small well. I just hope that, even as i live in my pollution ridden city, the rest of the world changes in a way that makes it sustainable for the rest of the human population to survive in earth for the long term.
the monetary system is the problem and we won't make a single considerable step until we adresse it seriously for the attrocity that it is. Our social ,political & ressource management structure should not be dictate by religion nor a game of monopoly !! -.-
I heard her do an interview with NPR today while driving to work, pretty much re-iterating exactly this. Here's hoping all goes well in Paris and we get some action from our respective governments. The only critique I'd give: what about nuclear fission reactors?
wait wait wait... the US is one of the only countries in the world that hasn't already taken action... And she is speaking to infer that the US is giving others reason to take action... like what the fuck?
I would love to see a follow-up to this now that it is four years later and Trump has done everything in his power to reverse any progress we have made.
If you want to get America on board with fighting climate change, you're framing it wrong. Don't pitch it as a problem to be solved, go with a sales pitch with a profit motive. Another video suggested that America could PROFIT off of fighting climate change.
Expose fact that people that want to make money say climate change is fake. People that want to help the world say its real. That is your best argument.
+theQiwiMan Unfortunately, no. I care about the environment as much as anyone and I donate significant amounts of my money and my time to worthy environmental causes. But the current incarnation of the EPA is a lawless, out of control institution.
I'm honestly a bit irritated with her attitude in this video. She acts as if the USA is the one who is leading progress when it comes to climat and global cooporation. The USA is actually the polar opposite of that and is one of the major countries that refuses to make any real commitments among the industrialised nations, refuses to make any mandatory goals, etc... There is a big gap between what she pretends to do and what she is actually doing. It's almost disgusting. That being said... very intresting interview.
She came to my school two years ago to promote Asthma Awareness Month. Shes an amazing director! Too bad Buddy Dyer took up her time to talk about the Sunrail -_-
+That One Amiibo Hoarder And I think we should also spend that time contemplating the cause of the troubles in Syria. Crop failures due to climate change. That caused mass displacement of people. I've seen many people say that we'll simply move agriculture a bit toward the poles and everything will be fine. Everything is *not* fine. The people displaced by climate change are unsurprisingly not welcomed with open arms by the people who caused the climate to change.
Climate change isn't about saving the planet. The planet has survived far worst than humanity can muster. It's about protecting a habitable planet for humans. Life will find away, but there is no obligation that that life be human.
I'm form Poland and I disagree with statement that natural gas is cheaper. Poland is the biggest coal sale player in Europe and we have no other choice to get electricity other than from Coal powered Powerhouses. Second thing is that solar technology last only for about 10 - 15 years. After that solar panels are getting used off and you need to replace them. And the Last one, do you even know how much harm to the environment you do just to make some batteries for your Environment free Prius? America! Don't be so blind!
+Kenneth Hartsock Why not, I personally live in a developing country with major pollution issues. We mostly use coal power and until recently we had a bunch of non-regulated highly polluting industry. In the short run it gave us a bunch of money but it ended up severely damaging public health and more importantly soil pollution, now no one wants to purchase our agricultural products because they have a bunch of heavy metals. On top of that we lost a lot of tourism. My point is that green energy might not be beneficial in the short run but it a good in the long run.
Something the US could do to reduce our impact on the situation -- ban all non-commercial traffic inside city limits of every city with a population of over 50,000 (OK I'll admit the number is a bit arbitrary) and require people to ride a bike, take public transportation, or walk. It will never fly though. People want their comfortable life styles, and are unwilling to make the sacrifice needed.
+Nolan Thiessen Thorium is a somewhat common element that can be used for relatively safe nuclear fission. It would produce energy without greenhouse gasses or the need to pave the world in solar cells
9:10 This line bothers me quite a bit. There are definitely people who have accurately predicted the trends on the costs of renewables well in advance.
This was a very nice thing you guys did. I congratulate you! However, I don't like how she avoided the fracking question with that classic politics-babble. What is it with politicians and use of excess words? No, they don't confuse us, and Yes, we understand when you try to treat us like small children.
I'm irritated that she didn't answer Hank's incredibly important question about balancing the gains allowed by using natural gas against the drawbacks of increased fracking. SUCH a good question, and yeah, probably a difficult one to answer, but she totally walked off in so many directions instead of actually answering it.
Hank, I would love a video explaining why over the last couple of years arctic ice increased in thickness. I'm not sure why scientifically that is, and I can't find any information on it.
The way I see it, the big problem here is an economic one. Let's face it, solar and wind are still relatively expensive, especially compared to natural gas. I say the best way forward is improved nuclear fission (such as Thorium-based reactors) until solar becomes more efficient and cheaper (or fusion becomes a thing, which would be kind of a deus ex machina.)
I learned nothing from this. For being so concerned to educate people about climate change, they sure do a poor job of it. Also, solar power is not the least bit competitive yet. Although, if advancements continue as they have, we should have competitive panels within 10 years. Probably sooner.
Chinese citizens in cities like Beijing and Baoding (as well as many citizens across the world) will be healthier and live longer if this passes as well.
+Robert Norton Your article's graphs doesn't account for the methane emissions released in the harvesting of natural gas. There's a whole lot more of coal than natural gas.
I have a weird... disliking feeling about how the issue is communicated here. first of all: As a big, powerful country, yes, please, throw your power behind this important issue! But on the other handside, the US didn't sign the Kyoto treaty (which probably was not perfect, but... so many other countries did and it was an earlier step in the right direction!) and in this video, you talk about how you can "show other countries", how to do it right. It sounds a bit... condescending. Sure, I bet china and India might do less for the environment right now (i am not informed on that!!) and leading by good examples is a good way to go. But if I look at the kind of cars that are popular in the US, the way Air conditioning is used almost universally and how cheap that is for the end consumer - it gives me a big frown. Sure, I am not living in a climate, that needs airconditioning for more than 3-4 weeks a year (yet). But so do many US-citizens. I understand, if you need these in intensely hot climate. I don't know - I got a very weird vibe from this interview. More... like this was a political statement than a science discussion. Which might not be bad, if politics is, where you have to start to get this issue off the ground.
Personally I don't see a complete solution to these types of issues until we see a single world government and a shift to a space industrial complex. Unfortunately that can't happen until the governments of the world get on one page when it comes to the Freedom vs. Socialism conundrum.
+Anticure83 NOOOOOOOO!!! STOP SPREADING YOUR ILLUMINATI ONE WORLD GOVERNMENTS!!! WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO DECEIVE US WITH CLIMATE CHANGE??? I KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AND I HAVE BUNKERS READY WHERE YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO FIND ME!!! RAWRRRRRR!!!
Is nobody worried about how the next president might see climate change? sure Obama has been great on climate policy but the election is next year and all of this progress could be axed if a candidate who does not worry or care about the climate is elected.
The issue with the public folk is it all about control. and with control comes revenue streams. gate keeper effects, play to pay or flat out bribery to use the better cheaper sources. We live in world where the EPA is already in this in the other end of this, outputs from private property. there is a great restriction on public uses from the water and mineral end but that doesn't give enough control so now we are trying to restrict peoples freedom of activity on the input side to allow greater control by these folks. The problem is that the restrictions are not about clean air, or not using carbon , but controlling the producers by restrictions, whether tax control on inefficient wind efficient only with the subsidies and backup nat. gas.or or EPA restrictions on smokestacks preventing the erection or coninuation of cheaper energy resources. the Climate Changes every year, with multiple inputs: man, the sun, the sea, and so many more, but attempting to create homeostasis with only control of only one input is a fools game. We are lucky in our small part of the work to have few gatekeepers who value control over the society's well being, which is a balance between the damage inputs cause and the goods they present society, but this lady you interview values exactly that.
Hank is a great interviewer, but most of the debate surrounding climate change is bull. The fossil fuel, transportation, and meat industry are most responsible for greenhouse gas emissions. The most obvious solution would therefore be to tax these industries, make them pay for the pollution they create. The only reason this hasn't been done is because of how corrupt politics in America has become, making it practically impossible to regulate the sectors that are destroying the earth. Honestly I don't see how natural gas is a better alternative to oil. As demand for gas increases, companies are using increasingly harmful methods to extract gas. Some studies estimate that fracking releases so much methane that gas is no longer a cleaner fuel than oil. Why not just start investing heavily in renewables, skip the gas and go straight to wind and solar. Opponents to such measures tend to argue that such policies will disproportionately affect the poor, but there is no reason for this to be so. You can tax meat and subsidize other food sources, or use the money earned from the tax to provide greater tax credits to the poor. Same goes with taxing fuels/cars, making it more expensive to drive. If the government develops better public transportation (a policy not included in Obama's Climate Action Plan btw), there would be significant environmental benefits while at the same time making it cheaper to get around, thus benefiting the poor. Anyone concerned about climate change should try to pick up Naomi Klein's amazing book about it- 'This Changes Everything (Capitalism vs The Climate)'. It really is an eye-opener.
Part of the reason no one is taking action is that we don't know what the hell to do. What exactly do we do? By "We "do you mean the United States or the whole world? Will our actions in the US be irrelevant if the world doesn't take the same action? What exactly is the timeframe for our supposed demise? You're speaking as though this is just a US problem. What exactly will taking action ( whatever the hell that means) do exactly? Everyone is wondering why we aren't taking action, but the action you want us to take as well as the benefits from that mysterious action is completely vague. We have NO pacific goals at all! You want us all to just spot doing "stuff"?! I mean c'mon!
Super awesome that SciShow could have an interview with such an influential and important person!
Democrat stooge, nothing more.
+Nolan Thiessen I would have appreciated a scientist instead of a bureaucrat/politician, but it is still cool to see such an influential person speaking on here
+Nolan Thiessen Don't really know why would SciShow do an interview like this, i mean, they realize the difference between scientific data and political propaganda. Doubt this would make the show more popular either, since it would only be the case if someone had no idea who she is and thought "oh they are interviewing someone knowledgeable and important, good for them" and then didn't even watch the video :/
dr Meno SciShow made an anti-GMO episode a few years ago but had to redact it because the studies they cited were debunked.
dr Meno *facedesk*
Why the unusual amount of dislikes? Do people just want to sit in ignorance and not do anything?
+LazerLord10 Pretty much. People don't want to have to live with the fact that their lack of action is part of the problem, so they just deny it instead. That way they can continue to be lazy without the guilt...
+LazerLord10 yep, yep they do. For they are poor weany little scaredy pants in denial
BobWidlefish Science can never be synonymous with propaganda. It's propaganda if it's political, or needs convincing. No convincing should have to be done here. Rather that's on the part of the deniers, who refuse to accept that this is not a political debate, but rather a scientific issue that needs to be dealt with.
Sadly, they do...
Personally I'm really glad that scishow did this. It's great to spread awareness! However, I really feel like the president was mentioned a little too much by her, almost as if it's just as much spreading awareness as it is a PR move for the president. I have a strong feeling that the EPA came to scishow and not the other way around.
The Clean Air Act: 1963
The Clean Water Act: 1972
The Clean Power Act: 20XX
+Robert Armstrong Oh for a Clean Government Act... in Australia at least :( Guess I should be grateful we don't have Pootin (deliberately misspelt - before anyone points it out).
The Clean Earth Act: 2015
The Clean Fire Act: 2023
Then we level up
MiriQL Movies We become the eco-Avatar at that point.
Why is this disliked? Climate change is a real problem and this is one of the most influential people on this problem right here being interviewed. Come on people.
+Skinjacker It isn't typical scishow content.
+Skinjacker
Because people either a) don't believe it because the media still talks about this problem as if it might not be true or b) don't like the idea of making changes to their life for the betterment of the future.
Or people just don't like interviews I guess.
+w1q2e3r4t5 Pretty sure it's just because it's not a usual SciShow video.
+Skinjacker Probably because people embedded it in Facebook and internet forums, and the angry conservatives who saw it thumbed it down.
MegaMementoMori That doesn't matter. This isn't a competition. We SHOULD be working together to try and fix this. If we don't, this might lead to the end of most life on this Earth. We've already killed 40% of all species on here.
Can't beat a lil' SciShow special :) Great interview.
+Chris Coyle Thanks!
+SciShow We are at that point in this world where it is time to put down "This Country did this and that country did that!" We are one insignificant world. A Pale Blue Dot, if you will. (Thank you Carl Sagan)
+fl4shb4ck1992 forget dot, a tiny speck that it is impossible to even tell the color of, or even tell that it exists at all.
Wow! this was such a good show. Very interesting and informative. thanks SciShow/Hank.
+iconforu2c Thank you!
+SciShow Climate change is a statistical issue but I have NEVER seen compelling statistical data on the subject despite searching.
YOU WANT US TO ACCEPT SCIENCE ON FAITH.... *Someone is clearly lying*
+SciShow
We have a problem in Finland with wind power. It's being supported by the government heavily, so heavily in fact that coal plants are not being renewed or constructed when our power consumption is going up. Why is this bad? Because during the winter, it can get so cold that the wind powerplants cannot function. To make matters worse, this is also the time at which we need the most power, because it's cold. So wind and solar is not the way to go. Out of the current options, sadly, Nuclear power is the most viable solution. And then there is McCarthy, clearly not understanding the HARSH realities of energy production and consumption. Never should anyone rate solar or wind powerplants by Watts, those numbers always lie so much. Somewhat better is to measure what it makes a year, and divide it that by the time. This number is bad also, because it doesn't tell how much of the power it produced went to actual use.
SciShow, this is a great issue which to make videos about, wink wink.
+Michael P Yes, someone is clearly lying. Either that or they don't recognize statistical data when they see it.
Took me about 5 seconds to find these on Google...
www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg1/en/ch9s9-7.html
www.scientificamerican.com/article/seven-answers-to-climate-contrarian-nonsense/
climate.nasa.gov/evidence/
www.skepticalscience.com/empirical-evidence-for-global-warming.htm
+Mika Rajala To the top with YOU!
EEEEEPPPPPPAAAA! EEEEEEEPPPPPAAAAA!
+Will Milner * rolls him up in the carpet *
In the car " PANCAKES!"
+Will Milner Twisted tail, a thousand eyes!
Trappuccino!
+MrThatawsomguy TRAPPED FOREVER
11:03 - India's increase in solar power is absolutely amazing. It seems like every week they're announcing new GW scale plants.
Well, the waste produced in solar cell manufacturing isn't great.
Inorganic Vegan True, very true. We can never have 0 footprint on Earth. All we can do is look to minimize it.
+Inorganic Vegan does any one know if the waste/ pollution byproducts from solar is easier to capture and mitigate. (I'm assuming most of these are created during the manufacturing process) please advise on a good source to find out more on this.
Billywashere89 I just spend like 20 minutes looking through the literature about that question and couldn't find much. Must studies done have been around the lifecycle emissions of PV.
I too also feel like the waste from PV manufacturing isn't *that* bad seeing as there are factories in Canada / US which have relatively strict environmental laws.
+Nolan Thiessen Contrary to popular belief there are more kinds of solar than just photo-voltaic.
next time you have a chat with her, ask about the pine river pollution created by velsicol that is still contaminating our water after 40 years.
I spent 45 minutes on phone and by permutations to record our more then informative minis the attempt to blow smoke up a sitting and unappreciated orifice. Our government and tool's like propaganda mantra . Liked your comment. Peace
+Leonard Marshall Google Translate, is that you?
I have to be honest, I am a bit disappointed to see that Nuclear power, the safest, cleanest, and most energy dense power source, has been left out of the discussion.
+Nick Joslin Considering nuclear energy produces a waste that doesn't degrade safely and has to be stored underground for hundreds of years (at least) and has contributed to making areas of the Earth uninhabitable, it has been kicked out of the discussion for years now. Sorry.
QueenPikmin Hmmm...if only there was something useful we could do with that waste. Maybe reprocessing that waste to be reused as fuel in breeder style reactors isn't such a bad idea. All of the current high level waste produced by today's PWR/BWR's still contains enough energy to power all of the US's current energy needs for over 1000 years. To think that we are ever going to build 1960's and 1970's era reactors like that of Fukushima or Chernobyl again is absolutely foolish. There are plenty of reactor designs that are literally walkaway safe, the problem is that there has been little to no R&D in nuclear power since about the 1970's. Even considering the disasters at Chernobyl and Fukushima, nuclear power, in it's incredibly outdated form, is still unquestionably the safest form of energy production in terms of deaths per terawatt hour.
+Nick Joslin There's been research into it. LFTR, for instance, is a great design (in addition to being ridiculously safe compared to most other options, it's functionally impossible to use the reactor for nuclear weapons development -- which means it's remarkably safe from a geopolitical perspective, too). We just, uh, seem terrified of the stuff.
+Nick Joslin LFTR
+QueenPikmin Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor, google it
I'm early, better make a joke
Politicians denying Climate Change
+That One Amiibo Hoarder Sadly that's not a joke, that's a reality.
+That One Amiibo Hoarder *Republicans
when isn't climate changing?
Politicians denying climate change is a joke.
HOWEVER
People who are skeptical MAN-MADE climate change exists are wise. Argue with me in the comments. I want to know where this goes. But seriously. We can't tell. First point: medieval warming period.
Let's not be too fast to shove regulations up people's asses please.
TenLetters123 I mean, with all due respect, you are not a climate scientist who has spent years studying the field and how molecules interact with our atmosphere. All of them say it is man made. The reason why we (people who aren't climate scientists) say it's man made is because scientist say it's man made. Holding on to small reasons to why it is not happening is called confirmation bias; where one ignores vast amounts of credible sources because there are a few possibly credible sources that support your reasoning. I mean, if it makes you feel better, I have a scientific bias. Not too shabby a bias though...
Luckily for the world, Canadians just elected a new government that is climate friendly as opposed to their previous right wing Conservative government that put up roadblocks against any climate friendly initiatives and this should be very helpful at the climate change summit.
I need you (as in the country) to sign the Kyoto treaty...
Although I do believe in lowering our emissions, the Kyoto Protocol is politically dangerous. It gives away our sovereignty and many of our civil liberties may be violated in the process of enforcing it.
+John Kim Yeah yeah, I think what you're trying to say is that US people's civil liberties are just so much more important yet fragile than all other countries, including western countries such as EU members -- who, for the record, did sign the Kyoto Protocol -- that it's just not right for American to sign Kyoto Protocol. Good thing is that Canada is following US as usual.
+Hercados P. Anime.
Why are they not talking about animal agriculture's impact on climate?
+The Blue Farmer Because it's grossly overstated in Cowspiracy and it's not as big of deal as fossil fuel consumption (not to say it's not worth talking about at all).
tcktcktck.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/World-GHG-Emissions-Ecofys-2013.jpg
+Nolan Thiessen no offence intended; but Ill take the un's numbers over your wordpress blog.
+The Blue Farmer The image itself is hosted on a random wordpress page, but the infographic itself comes from Ecofys, a world leading environmental consultant group using data mostly from the IEA.
Nolan Thiessen Ecofys is in the pocket of big business.
The Blue Farmer Then what about the World Resources Institute?
www.energyco-ops.ie/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/EmissionsbySector.jpg
Watch out, they might put a dome on you.
+Astrofishisist DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOME!
+Nolan Thiessen DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
+Astrofishisist Good, then I can make Biodome 2 with Pauly Shore
Yay! What a great interview. Working for the EPA is my dream job!
I've always liked the goals of the EPA. It's almost as if "environmental protection" was in their very name... oh wait.
Such webcam, many quality, pixel wow
Why are you so worried about what she looks like? What she is saying is what is important.
Gina McCarthy - Thank-you for talking to us. Hank - what a treat
Please keep us updated on what happens at the conference! SciShow would be the perfect place to learn about what new efforts are being made to fight climate change.
Gina, how do you explain how your agency, designed to protect the environment, was responsible for the largest single act of pollution in US history. I am, of course, referring to the action taken by the EPA on the Gold King Mine. The EPA went against their own tests and opened the mine. This resulted in the spilling of 3 million gallons of toxic water into the Animas River. This turned the river bright orange, and killed who knows how many aquatic animals and plants and l land based creatures that depended on the Animas River. This is without mentioning the people who depend on that river. This is unacceptable for your organization. How can you talk with authority on anything when you don't even follow your own rules and regulations? The spill has since spread to the Colorado River and has had effects of Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico. How do you answer to this?
Hmm! Fascinating interview. It's good to hear that she's hopeful, and that renewable energies are gaining traction. Thank you for asking the hard-hitting question about fracking... it's too bad that she danced around really addressing the topic of the pollution of the land and water systems it causes. It's also too bad that the fracking industry has bought itself exemptions from lots of environmental protection laws... she probably wishes she could do something about it, but can't in most cases.
It is so good to listen to someone who is actually hopeful about the long-term viability of biodiversity and human life! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Wonderful interview! I hope that the talks become truly productive, and that there is a way to ensure that whatever agreements are made are enforced strictly and without exemptions.
How would one go about working for the EPA
Hank, that's the best interview I have ever seen on climate change, Thank you.
Positive news on this subject really makes me happy.
Twisted Tail, a Thousand Eyes!
Trapped FOREVER!!!!!
Thanks for the awesome interview Hank. Please make more of these.
What an awesome show! Lovely treat on this freezing Irish morning
I would appreciate a show to discuss current information on Thorium-based nuclear power. I think this is an option that must not be ignored.
Fracking has been largely unregulated. Companies need to disclose the chemicals used in the fracking process, and be responsive to the local communities nearby the site. I am glad the EPA is on the path to regulate fracking.
Wow, she actually knew what she was talking about
uhhhhh why surprised? Head of the EPA, an accomplished woman a huge line of qualifications?
Just another superbly crooked arm of our wonderful government. Working with several high-end contractors in NC, I can tell you first hand that if you grease their palms you can fill swamplands and wetlands with great enthusiasm. If you can't afford to, even filling in a self dug fish pond can net you hefty fines and/or jail time. I wouldn't give her a glass of water if she was on fire.
Great interview and great job at letting people know more about climate change.
very awesome much wow
This feels very optimistic. Its like "We can do this, we can obtain our goals after evaluating the situation". I mean..i never knew that solar has improved that much or that people actually use solar against natural energy. How can i know? I live in a well after all. I feel satisfied, even though such "change" has not yet occurred in my small well. I just hope that, even as i live in my pollution ridden city, the rest of the world changes in a way that makes it sustainable for the rest of the human population to survive in earth for the long term.
the monetary system is the problem and we won't make a single considerable step until we adresse it seriously for the attrocity that it is. Our social ,political & ressource management structure should not be dictate by religion nor a game of monopoly !! -.-
I heard her do an interview with NPR today while driving to work, pretty much re-iterating exactly this. Here's hoping all goes well in Paris and we get some action from our respective governments.
The only critique I'd give: what about nuclear fission reactors?
wait wait wait... the US is one of the only countries in the world that hasn't already taken action... And she is speaking to infer that the US is giving others reason to take action...
like what the fuck?
+h0len Indeed. It's just plain wrong how she acts as if the US is the front leader.
I would love to see a follow-up to this now that it is four years later and Trump has done everything in his power to reverse any progress we have made.
This is now one of my favorite Scishow interviews :D
Thank you so much scishow!!
glad to see scishow and the epa doing their part to move the needle on this!!
I had no idea cabin was such a problem in the world. I kid I kid, this was actually extremely interesting to watch.
Great interview! Talking to the right people
She is a piece of work, could not care less about, Flint
I love the Scishow and hanks bro. Crash course history man
If you want to get America on board with fighting climate change, you're framing it wrong. Don't pitch it as a problem to be solved, go with a sales pitch with a profit motive. Another video suggested that America could PROFIT off of fighting climate change.
Expose fact that people that want to make money say climate change is fake. People that want to help the world say its real. That is your best argument.
I think the truth is climate change is real and people want to make money from it.
What other criminals do you plan on interviewing?
+theQiwiMan Unfortunately, no. I care about the environment as much as anyone and I donate significant amounts of my money and my time to worthy environmental causes. But the current incarnation of the EPA is a lawless, out of control institution.
I'm honestly a bit irritated with her attitude in this video. She acts as if the USA is the one who is leading progress when it comes to climat and global cooporation. The USA is actually the polar opposite of that and is one of the major countries that refuses to make any real commitments among the industrialised nations, refuses to make any mandatory goals, etc...
There is a big gap between what she pretends to do and what she is actually doing. It's almost disgusting.
That being said... very intresting interview.
She came to my school two years ago to promote Asthma Awareness Month. Shes an amazing director! Too bad Buddy Dyer took up her time to talk about the Sunrail -_-
I hope they have a moment of silence for those lost in Paris during the attacks.
Only if we can have a moment of silence for the 150,000 civilians killed in the Iraq war and put the Bush administration on trial for war crimes.
+That One Amiibo Hoarder Innocent people who died in the past decades during wars and protests are far more important than the 150 who died in Paris.
+That One Amiibo Hoarder And I think we should also spend that time contemplating the cause of the troubles in Syria. Crop failures due to climate change. That caused mass displacement of people. I've seen many people say that we'll simply move agriculture a bit toward the poles and everything will be fine. Everything is *not* fine. The people displaced by climate change are unsurprisingly not welcomed with open arms by the people who caused the climate to change.
+matu1181 Everyone is equally as important, and since the Paris case is timely and the media really blew it up everyone talks about that.
TheKimpula I mean by the number, not importance of a single life. Every life is equal, therefore Paris incident was a small disaster.
Why hasn't more people watched this? This is really interesting!
Climate change isn't about saving the planet. The planet has survived far worst than humanity can muster. It's about protecting a habitable planet for humans. Life will find away, but there is no obligation that that life be human.
I'm form Poland and I disagree with statement that natural gas is cheaper. Poland is the biggest coal sale player in Europe and we have no other choice to get electricity other than from Coal powered Powerhouses. Second thing is that solar technology last only for about 10 - 15 years. After that solar panels are getting used off and you need to replace them. And the Last one, do you even know how much harm to the environment you do just to make some batteries for your Environment free Prius? America! Don't be so blind!
she mentioned methane but never touched on animal agriculture. does the EPA see the meat industry as a factor in the health of our planet?
Thank you for this!
Dear EPA,
Sorry you guys have so much shit to deal with, I am so sorry >.< Thank you for working hard to protect us >.< !
interesting to see all the changes in the energy sector
Climate change is the only threat to our nation that has a non negotiable time table. Bernie Sanders 2016
Would it be worth subsidizing green energy and cleaner manufacturing standards in developing nations?
+Kenneth Hartsock Why not, I personally live in a developing country with major pollution issues. We mostly use coal power and until recently we had a bunch of non-regulated highly polluting industry. In the short run it gave us a bunch of money but it ended up severely damaging public health and more importantly soil pollution, now no one wants to purchase our agricultural products because they have a bunch of heavy metals. On top of that we lost a lot of tourism. My point is that green energy might not be beneficial in the short run but it a good in the long run.
yakyakyak69
Marxism is just a pipe dream. If the guys at top don't exist or don't have guns then guys with guns will come out on top.
Something the US could do to reduce our impact on the situation -- ban all non-commercial traffic inside city limits of every city with a population of over 50,000 (OK I'll admit the number is a bit arbitrary) and require people to ride a bike, take public transportation, or walk. It will never fly though. People want their comfortable life styles, and are unwilling to make the sacrifice needed.
Thorium
+ngneer999 Helium
+Nolan Thiessen Thorium is a somewhat common element that can be used for relatively safe nuclear fission. It would produce energy without greenhouse gasses or the need to pave the world in solar cells
ngneer999 I know of the hopes of thorium reactors. I was just playing off the fact that you left a 1 word comment.
+Nolan Thiessen Helium 3
Melted salt thorium breeder reactors. I just wish there was not a ban on there construction. (Ban by omission from regulations)
Woah ;!! yes!! great questions! That Boston accent thoooo kehd we're wicked smaht
Oh the irony of watching this in 2017. Things have changed so much in the US now... I don't feel that positive anymore
HAnk asks good questions.
+SciShow
I really like these interviews! Hope you can find some more interesting people to talk to.
Suggestion: Dean Kamen
thanks for doing this interview
Great interview, Hank :-)
Fantastic interview!
Ah this video harks back to the halcyon days when the EPA's administrator actually understood science
9:10 This line bothers me quite a bit. There are definitely people who have accurately predicted the trends on the costs of renewables well in advance.
This was a very nice thing you guys did. I congratulate you!
However, I don't like how she avoided the fracking question with that classic politics-babble. What is it with politicians and use of excess words? No, they don't confuse us, and Yes, we understand when you try to treat us like small children.
Hey cool.. They interviewed Ellen!
I'm irritated that she didn't answer Hank's incredibly important question about balancing the gains allowed by using natural gas against the drawbacks of increased fracking. SUCH a good question, and yeah, probably a difficult one to answer, but she totally walked off in so many directions instead of actually answering it.
How about an interview with the engineers designing plants and pollution equipment? Not the bureaucratic stooges.
Non-American here,
I didn't even know EPA was a real thing. I always thought it was something made up by the "The Simpson's" movie.
Fukushima! get on it!
Hank, I would love a video explaining why over the last couple of years arctic ice increased in thickness. I'm not sure why scientifically that is, and I can't find any information on it.
The way I see it, the big problem here is an economic one. Let's face it, solar and wind are still relatively expensive, especially compared to natural gas. I say the best way forward is improved nuclear fission (such as Thorium-based reactors) until solar becomes more efficient and cheaper (or fusion becomes a thing, which would be kind of a deus ex machina.)
I miss Gina McCarthy. Pruitt is so terrible for our progress.
I learned nothing from this.
For being so concerned to educate people about climate change, they sure do a poor job of it.
Also, solar power is not the least bit competitive yet. Although, if advancements continue as they have, we should have competitive panels within 10 years. Probably sooner.
How do you manage to get these interviews? Do people at NASA or EPA have to be chased to give you the time, or do they appreciate the exposure?
great interview
Chinese citizens in cities like Beijing and Baoding (as well as many citizens across the world) will be healthier and live longer if this passes as well.
@Jerry Finn yes and no.
Yes it would but unless you could contain it you would have major problems with the algea
Btw: natural gas produces the same amount of CO2 as coal.
+Sebastian m (alpine1600s) no, it does not.
+Sebastian m (alpine1600s) tcktcktck.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/World-GHG-Emissions-Ecofys-2013.jpg
+Nolan Thiessen You forget the ratio of coal to natural gas plants, and the only difference is 10%.
+Robert Norton Your article's graphs doesn't account for the methane emissions released in the harvesting of natural gas. There's a whole lot more of coal than natural gas.
The oil industry is more of a threat to the environment than coal. By a landslide.
Can you do a video on why a marshmallow expandes in a microwave but not in a fire?
I have a weird... disliking feeling about how the issue is communicated here. first of all: As a big, powerful country, yes, please, throw your power behind this important issue!
But on the other handside, the US didn't sign the Kyoto treaty (which probably was not perfect, but... so many other countries did and it was an earlier step in the right direction!) and in this video, you talk about how you can "show other countries", how to do it right. It sounds a bit... condescending. Sure, I bet china and India might do less for the environment right now (i am not informed on that!!) and leading by good examples is a good way to go. But if I look at the kind of cars that are popular in the US, the way Air conditioning is used almost universally and how cheap that is for the end consumer - it gives me a big frown. Sure, I am not living in a climate, that needs airconditioning for more than 3-4 weeks a year (yet). But so do many US-citizens. I understand, if you need these in intensely hot climate.
I don't know - I got a very weird vibe from this interview. More... like this was a political statement than a science discussion.
Which might not be bad, if politics is, where you have to start to get this issue off the ground.
all the science channels made a vid like this
Personally I don't see a complete solution to these types of issues until we see a single world government and a shift to a space industrial complex. Unfortunately that can't happen until the governments of the world get on one page when it comes to the Freedom vs. Socialism conundrum.
+Anticure83 NOOOOOOOO!!! STOP SPREADING YOUR ILLUMINATI ONE WORLD GOVERNMENTS!!! WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO DECEIVE US WITH CLIMATE CHANGE??? I KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AND I HAVE BUNKERS READY WHERE YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO FIND ME!!! RAWRRRRRR!!!
We need the Khala.
never been this early before
me to
Neither have i
Thanks for not saying "first"
Is nobody worried about how the next president might see climate change? sure Obama has been great on climate policy but the election is next year and all of this progress could be axed if a candidate who does not worry or care about the climate is elected.
The issue with the public folk is it all about control. and with control comes revenue streams. gate keeper effects, play to pay or flat out bribery to use the better cheaper sources. We live in world where the EPA is already in this in the other end of this, outputs from private property. there is a great restriction on public uses from the water and mineral end but that doesn't give enough control so now we are trying to restrict peoples freedom of activity on the input side to allow greater control by these folks.
The problem is that the restrictions are not about clean air, or not using carbon , but controlling the producers by restrictions, whether tax control on inefficient wind efficient only with the subsidies and backup nat. gas.or or EPA restrictions on smokestacks preventing the erection or coninuation of cheaper energy resources. the Climate Changes every year, with multiple inputs: man, the sun, the sea, and so many more, but attempting to create homeostasis with only control of only one input is a fools game. We are lucky in our small part of the work to have few gatekeepers who value control over the society's well being, which is a balance between the damage inputs cause and the goods they present society, but this lady you interview values exactly that.
Hank is a great interviewer, but most of the debate surrounding climate change is bull.
The fossil fuel, transportation, and meat industry are most responsible for greenhouse gas emissions. The most obvious solution would therefore be to tax these industries, make them pay for the pollution they create. The only reason this hasn't been done is because of how corrupt politics in America has become, making it practically impossible to regulate the sectors that are destroying the earth.
Honestly I don't see how natural gas is a better alternative to oil. As demand for gas increases, companies are using increasingly harmful methods to extract gas. Some studies estimate that fracking releases so much methane that gas is no longer a cleaner fuel than oil. Why not just start investing heavily in renewables, skip the gas and go straight to wind and solar.
Opponents to such measures tend to argue that such policies will disproportionately affect the poor, but there is no reason for this to be so. You can tax meat and subsidize other food sources, or use the money earned from the tax to provide greater tax credits to the poor. Same goes with taxing fuels/cars, making it more expensive to drive. If the government develops better public transportation (a policy not included in Obama's Climate Action Plan btw), there would be significant environmental benefits while at the same time making it cheaper to get around, thus benefiting the poor.
Anyone concerned about climate change should try to pick up Naomi Klein's amazing book about it- 'This Changes Everything (Capitalism vs The Climate)'. It really is an eye-opener.
it'll likely take a few more ultra-hurricanes, super-tornadoes, and mega-blizzards before the "masses" take note
I imagine that too. We need to get pushed near the brink of extinction before people start to think "this affects me".
ircimager, sadly i think at that point we will still get religious fundamentalist saying the weather is God’s wrath.
Part of the reason no one is taking action is that we don't know what the hell to do.
What exactly do we do? By "We "do you mean the United States or the whole world? Will our actions in the US be irrelevant if the world doesn't take the same action? What exactly is the timeframe for our supposed demise? You're speaking as though this is just a US problem. What exactly will taking action ( whatever the hell that means) do exactly?
Everyone is wondering why we aren't taking action, but the action you want us to take as well as the benefits from that mysterious action is completely vague.
We have NO pacific goals at all! You want us all to just spot doing "stuff"?! I mean c'mon!
Gina McCarthy needs a new webcam.