Topic: Climate Report

Media outlets are framing standard summer temperatures as an "extreme heat" crisis linked to climate change. Amtrak cancelled train lines between Newark and New York City citing equipment failure due to high temperatures, while Washington D.C. Metro operators slowed trains over rail expansion concerns. Despite temperatures being several weeks behind seasonal averages in some regions, news reports continue to emphasize dangerous air quality and heat wave alerts.

The hosts open the program discussing heavy fog in northern Silicon Valley and the sounds of the Zephyr train. They reference a 1970s cycle of fog and global cooling, contrasting historical climate fears with a new climate report released on Black Friday.

ABC News and other networks utilized dramatic field reporting techniques during Hurricane Harvey, featuring reporters standing in high winds to emphasize the storm's intensity. These reports often incorporate political narratives, including claims that the disaster is a direct result of the climate crisis or a test of the president's preparedness. Such coverage is characterized as performative, focusing on "feeling" the storm rather than providing objective data.

A professor interviewed on "Democracy Now" discusses the "increasing efficiency" of tornado days, though he admits the link to climate change is in its infancy. The hosts mock the "seems to be" nature of the scientific claims and the alarmist reporting regarding a predicted heat wave at the North Pole.

Katy Perry appeared in a UNICEF promotional video styled as a weather report to discuss the impact of climate change on children. The presentation features Perry in front of a green screen using stock music to highlight drought in California and flooding in Bangladesh. The footage is criticized for its production quality and its focus on using children to promote environmental narratives.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Synthesis Report, emphasizing that human influence on the climate is clear. The report argues that the world is ill-prepared for climate risks and that climate action is compatible with economic growth. The hosts criticize Ban Ki-moon's delivery and the repetitive nature of the "science has spoken" rhetoric.

A 160-page PDF report investigating the "Climategate" scandal has officially cleared scientists at the Climate Research Unit (CRU) of all dishonesty. The analysis argues that the leaked emails were taken out of context and are open to interpretation. The findings are dismissed by the speakers as a "bullcrap" attempt to move past the controversy and re-establish the narrative of man-made climate change.