The Climate Apocalypse Isn’t Around the Corner (In Defense of Climate Change - Episode 4)

In the fourth episode of In Defense of Climate Change, Bryce Nickels and climate policy scholar Roger Pielke Jr. discuss what Pielke describes as one of the most consequential developments in climate science in years: the retirement of the extreme climate scenario known as RCP 8.5. Bryce and Roger unpack how a small international committee helped shape the climate scenarios that informed scientific research, media narratives, regulations, banking policy, and global climate politics for over a decade.Roger explains why many of the “worst-case” climate projections were based on implausible assumptions about future coal use and why recent updates to climate scenario frameworks represent a major course correction. The conversation explores the difference between exploratory scientific scenarios and policy roadmaps, the relationship between climate science and political decision-making, and how climate narratives influenced public policy around the world.Bryce and Roger also discuss parallels between climate science governance and debates surrounding gain-of-function research, including questions about transparency, accountability, expert authority, and the role of broader public input in scientific decision-making.(recorded May 22, 2026) Get full access to Science From the Fringe at sciencefromthefringe.substack.com/subscribe