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A recent NASEM (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine) newsletter on “Climate Effects on Brain Function” says that “climate change is increasingly recognized ... as an environmental and physical health challenge” and “as a growing risk to how we think, feel, and function.”
NASEM points to extreme heat, air pollution, and climate-related disasters as threats to neurological and mental health.
While real environmental risks are to be taken seriously, NASEM’s presentation is just more fearmongering that ignores the benefits of warmer temperatures and higher levels of atmospheric CO2. Our report Challenging Net Zero with Science shows that alarmist assumptions driving net-zero policies are scientifically flawed — and that modest warming, rising CO₂, and abundant fossil fuels have delivered better human health and greater prosperity.
Here are just a few key realities:
- Cold-related deaths far outnumber heat-related ones.
- Vector-borne diseases are managed far more effectively by prosperity, sanitation, and modern medicine than by temperature changes or by quixotic attempts to change Earth’s climate.
- CO₂ fertilization has produced dramatic global greening and boosted crop yields, while fossil fuels have powered the agricultural revolution that ended famines common during colder historical periods.
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As a result, global population has quadrupled since 1900, weather-related deaths have plummeted over 90%, and life expectancy has doubled1.
Unfortunately, NASEM continues to cling to the so-called consensus of alarmists and to disregard the rigorous examination of evidence gathered over a period of many years. This attitude is reflected in their work on the Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence (4th Edition), where climate chapters were recommended for removal due to bias — yet NASEM refused to remove them2. (You can find out more about the problems with the Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence (4th Edition) in this letter by William Happer, Richard Lindzen, and Steve Koonin: Open Letter to Federal Judicial Center Chair, Chief Justice John Roberts - CO2 Coalition)
Fossil fuels remain the most reliable energy source with the lowest mortality per unit of energy delivered. The net-zero agenda would reverse decades of progress in human health and prosperity by imposing energy poverty and economic hardship.
At the CO₂ Coalition, we remain committed to evidence-based science and practical solutions that prioritize human flourishing. We invite you to read our full report, Challenging Net Zero with Science, available at co2coalition.org. It provides a comprehensive, data-driven counterpoint to much of the prevailing narrative.
We believe the path forward lies not in fear or energy deprivation, but in truth, abundance, and an optimistic pursuit of technological innovation. By embracing the proven benefits of fossil fuels and rising CO₂, we can continue building a healthier, more prosperous world for generations to come.
1. Challenging Net Zero with Science, pp. 2–3, 34–40 (and surrounding sections on CO₂ benefits, greening, crop yields, fossil fuel advantages, and human prosperity metrics).
2. [your]News, Science Academy Refuses to Remove Climate Section From Judicial Training Manual
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