Topic: Co2

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced new principles for "high-quality" carbon offsets to ensure they effectively remove climate pollution. The hosts critique the concept of carbon permanence and jokingly suggest selling offsets to stop people from podcasting.

The European Union is set to implement a federal carbon tax starting in 2027, targeting gasoline, diesel, and natural gas usage. Current projections suggest CO2 permits could cost between 100 and 200 euros per ton, adding hundreds of euros to annual household expenses. This move marks a shift toward direct federal taxation from Brussels.

Author John Vaillant appeared on CBS to discuss his book "Fire Weather," arguing that climate change has made modern wildfires qualitatively different and faster-moving than those of the past century. He attributed the increased intensity to CO2 emissions from trillions of daily "fires" created by internal combustion engines. The interview is framed as a preemptive media strike to reinforce climate change as the primary cause of the LA disaster before the new administration takes office.

A producer in the transportation industry provides a report on the cryogenic gas business, specifically the delivery of bulk liquid CO2. The report explains how the push away from fossil fuels has reduced CO2 supply, leading companies to experiment with nitrogen in beverages like "Pepsi Nitro." The high resource requirements for semiconductor chip plants are also noted.

The hosts mock a trend from the "Podcast Movement" conference where a podcaster uses a CO2 monitor to stop interviews when air quality drops. They then conduct a formal knighting ceremony for "Sir Knight Z" and "Sir Loin of Winterhaven," offering the traditional "hookers and blow" (jingle) and promoting No Agenda rings.

Lisa Jackson's leadership at the EPA is discussed in the context of a Supreme Court ruling allowing the agency to regulate greenhouse gases. The hosts reference an article by Christopher Booker regarding the upcoming Copenhagen Treaty, which aims to cut global CO2 emissions in half by 2050. They argue that such drastic cuts would effectively shut down modern economic activity.

The European Union recently dropped a proposal to require a 30% cut in agricultural emissions following widespread tractor protests by farmers in Spain, Germany, and France. However, the EU Commission simultaneously set a tougher overall climate target of a 90% CO2 reduction by 2040. Analysts suggest the concession to farmers was a tactical move that does not change the long-term aggressive climate agenda.

Romanian MEP Cristian Terhes criticized the use of Greta Thunberg as a spokesperson for the IPCC, labeling the climate movement a "bellicose system and cult." Terhes argued that man-made CO2, which makes up 0.041% of the atmosphere, is being used as a pretext for higher taxes and state control. During a "blue card" exchange, he questioned the scientific expertise of Thunberg and Bill Gates in dictating global policy.

Climate Czar John Kerry is grilled by Representative Scott Perry regarding the "correct" amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. Perry points out that for millions of years, CO2 levels were significantly higher than they are today and that current temperatures have actually trended downward since 2015. Perry accuses Kerry and other world leaders of "grifting" off the climate movement.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that global energy-related CO2 emissions reached a record high of 37 billion tons in 2022. Despite the increase, energy researchers claim the transition to clean technology prevented even higher growth. The hosts contrast these reports of warming with the extreme cold and snow currently affecting California.

Climate experts report that planting trees is insufficient to manage CO2 levels, necessitating urgent investment in carbon removal technologies. Meanwhile, the European Union has approved the larvae of lesser mealworms and house crickets for human consumption. The hosts discuss the push for "climatarian" diets and the normalization of eating insects.

A reported CO2 shortage in Germany and Mexico is linked to difficulties in sourcing carbonated beverages like Topo Chico. The discussion segues into a humorous rebrand of Korean side-dish pickles as "K-Crew" or "Korean Crudité."

The CO2 Coalition argues that higher levels of carbon dioxide are beneficial for plant growth and the environment. In a related story, the late Desmond Tutu chose "aquamation"—an alkaline hydrolysis process that liquefies the body—as an eco-friendly alternative to cremation. The segment notes that the 1973 film "Soylent Green," which depicts a dystopian future of processed human remains, was set in the year 2022.

A California brewery owner reports a 300% increase in CO2 prices, a byproduct of oil refining and natural gas processing. High natural gas prices have forced manufacturers like CF Industries in the UK to suspend operations, further straining the supply of hydrogen and nitrogen products.

A new large-scale carbon capture plant operated by Climeworks has opened in Iceland, using fans to suck CO2 from the air and bury it underground. Despite the high-tech presentation, the plant only captures 4,000 tons of CO2 annually, a negligible fraction of the 40 billion tons released globally. Critics argue the project is more about generating carbon credits than making a meaningful impact on the environment.

In a landmark ruling, a court in The Hague ordered Royal Dutch Shell to reduce its CO2 emissions by 45% by 2030, citing human rights obligations. This legal victory for environmental activists coincides with a growing movement to ban natural gas in new homes across the Netherlands and US cities like Berkeley and San Francisco. Critics argue these measures decrease energy efficiency and centralize control over the power grid.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus links human health to the health of the planet, noting that air pollution kills 7 million people annually. He argues that there is "no vaccine for climate change" and suggests that the same unsustainable choices killing the planet are killing people, signaling a shift toward climate-focused health policy.

Critics revisit NASA scientist James Hansen's 1988 prediction that New York's West Side Highway would be underwater within 40 years due to CO2 doubling. Skeptics point out that after 25 years, sea levels have only risen one inch, leaving nearly ten feet of rise required to meet the prediction. Meanwhile, current NASA reports cite record-breaking heat waves, which scientists attribute to "heat domes" trapping warmer air.

The transition from "global cooling" to "global warming" is described as a financial maneuver to establish carbon credits and new valuation systems. John Holdren, an advisor in the Obama administration, is cited as a figure who previously promoted cooling theories before pivoting to warming. The term "carbon pollution" is criticized as a linguistic shift away from the scientific reality of CO2.

The annual "Earth Hour" event is criticized as a missed marketing opportunity. The hosts argue that organizers failed to effectively link the stay-at-home lockdowns and the resulting reduction in pollution to their environmental message. They describe the promotion as a "total fail" that relied on outdated tactics like turning off building lights.