Saving the World From Bad Ideas

• Bad Idea #28 “JAWS- aka sharks are dangerous” with Arzucan -Zuzu- Askin

  Are sharks really the monsters we’ve been taught to fear — or the ocean’s misunderstood guardians? In this episode, Mark Lynas sits down with Arzucan “Zuzu” Askin, National Geographic Explorer, conservation scientist, and co-founder of Miyaru NGO, to take on Bad Idea #28: “Jaws - aka sharks are scary”From diving daily with tiger sharks in the Maldives to pioneering the world’s first free-swimming shark ultrasounds, Zuzu shares what it’s really like to live and work among these ancient predators — and why our fear of them is one of conservation’s biggest barriers. 🧠 Topics Discussed: ● 🦈 The myth of the “man-eater”: why sharks aren’t scary, they’re essential ● 🎬 Jaws and how a single movie reshaped global shark perceptions ●🏝️ How the Maldives became the “Galápagos of the Indian Ocean” for sharks ● 🌊 The 2010 Maldives shark sanctuary — and how it saved populations ● 🤰 “Mama Shark”: the world’s first free-swimming ultrasound scans of tiger sharks ● 👩‍🔬 Shark pregnancies and live births — motherhood in the deep ● ⚖️ The fight to stop the return of shark fishing in the Maldives ● 🧴 Hidden sharks: in cosmetics, pet food, and even vaccines● 🧠 How sharks inspire biomedical and design innovation● 🐋 Collaborating with Dr. Sylvia Earle and Tongan scientists on whale research ● 🧩 What individuals can do to protect sharks — from banning fins to consumer choices👩‍🏫 Guest Bio: Arzucan “Zuzu” Askin is a conservation scientist, diver, and National Geographic Explorer based in the Maldives. She co-founded Miyaru NGO, the country’s first national-level shark conservation organisation, dedicated to protecting predatory shark species through research, education, and community engagement. Zuzu led the groundbreaking “Mama Shark” project, conducting the world’s first free-swimming ultrasounds on tiger sharks to study reproduction. She has worked with National Geographic, the Maldives Ocean Alliance, and partnered with researchers like Dr. Sylvia Earle to advance ocean science and storytelling.📚 Recommended Reading & Resources: ● 🌐 Miyaru NGO – https://miyaru.org/ ● 📄 Ultrasound Scanning of Free-Swimming Tiger Sharks – Frontiers in Marine Science (2023) – https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1500176/full ● 🐋 Mission Blue – https://missionblue.org/ ● 🧬 Blue Marine Foundation – https://www.bluemarinefoundation.com/ ● 🌊 Maldives Resilient Reefs – https://maldivesresilientreefs.com/ ● ✍️ Petition to Save the Maldives Shark Sanctuary – https://only.one/act/maldives-sharks ● 🎥 Jaws (1975) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaws_(film) ● 🧴 Hidden Shark Ingredients – https://sharkallies.com/blogs/shark-allies-news/squalene ● 🧠 Sylvia Earle – https://missionblue.org/team/dr-sylvia-earle/ ● 🐳 Humpback Whale Research Project (Tonga) – https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237530779_Humpback_Whales_in_Tonga_An_Economic_Resource_for_Tourism 💬 Quote Highlights:“A lion would never let you do what a tiger shark lets you do underwater.” — Arzucan “Zuzu” Askin “When you show a shark as a mother, not a monster, people see them differently.” “Sharks are older than trees — and we’ve managed to wipe out most of them in a century.” “Europe is still one of the biggest exporters of shark fins and meat. That has to stop.” “If you’ve used sunscreen, cosmetics, or pet food today, you might have already used shark.” “An ultrasound image of a pregnant tiger shark — that’s conservation storytelling at its best.”🌐 About WePlanet: WePlanet is a global citizen and science movement challenging bad ideas and championing evidence-based solutions for climate, nature, and human development. Learn more at https://weplanet.org📥 Join the Conversation: 💬 Feedback or questions? Email: [email protected] 📩 Subscribe to new episodes: https://weplanet.org/podcast 👁️ Follow us on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/weplanetint

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• Bad Idea #27 “There’s no hope for humanity” with Dr SJ Beard

  Can thinking about the end of the world make us better people? In this episode of Saving the World from Bad Ideas, Mark Lynas sits down with philosopher and existential risk researcher Dr SJ Beard to unpack Bad Idea #27: “There’s no hope for humanity’”Drawing on their new book Existential Hope (Polity), SJ argues that we need to look beyond fear and fatalism to build a future worth surviving for. They explore how the same forces driving environmental destruction, inequality, and technological danger also threaten humanity’s long-term survival — and how rediscovering our shared humanity could be the key to building resilience and hope in an age of crisis.🧠 Topics Discussed: ● 🌍 Why the same systems that harm people and planet now endanger our collective future ● 🧠 What “existential risk” really means — and why it’s about justice as much as survival ● 🏭 How extractive capitalism links everyday harm to global catastrophe ● 🤖 AI, technology, and the ethics of progress ● 💣 The limits of doom thinking and why apocalypse narratives can paralyse us ● 💡 The concept of existential hope — a practical philosophy for long-term survival ● ✊ Building solidarity, moral courage, and collective action as the real foundations of safety ● 🌱 Why saving humanity starts with saving our humanity👨‍🏫 Guest Bio:Dr SJ Beard is a philosopher and senior research associate at the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER) at the University of Cambridge. Their research explores the ethics of global catastrophic and existential risks — from AI and climate change to inequality and social justice. SJ’s new book, Existential Hope (Polity, 2024), argues that the same human capacities that create danger also give us the tools to survive and flourish. They are known for bringing humanity, empathy, and philosophical depth to one of the most urgent topics of our time.📚 Recommended Reading & Resources: ● Existential Hope – https://www.sjbeard.com/existential-hope.html ● Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER), University of Cambridge – https://www.cser.ac.uk/ ● CSER Podcast: Existential Hope and Risk – https://www.cser.ac.uk/work/24-october-2025-conversations-on-existential-hope/ ● The Precipice by Toby Ord – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Precipice:_Existential_Risk_and_the_Future_of_Humanity ● Our Final Hour by Martin Rees – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Final_Hour ● Climate Endgame (PNAS, 2022) – https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2108146119 ● Effective Altruism Forum: Existential Hope and Moral Progress – https://forum.effectivealtruism.org 💬 Quote Highlights:“If we want to save humanity, we need to start by saving our humanity.” — SJ Beard “The same extractive systems that harm people and planet now are the ones that endanger our future as a species.” “Existential hope isn’t utopian — it’s pragmatic. It’s about building the moral and collective capacity to survive.” “Thinking about extinction isn’t just about avoiding the end; it’s about imagining a future worth existing in.”🌐 About WePlanet:WePlanet is a global citizen and science movement challenging bad ideas and championing evidence-based solutions for climate, nature, and human development. Learn more at https://weplanet.org📥 Join the Conversation 💬 Feedback or questions? Email: [email protected] 📩 Subscribe to new episodes: https://weplanet.org/podcast 👁️ Follow us on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/weplanetint

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• Bad Idea #26 “Facts will beat Misinformation” with Professor Sander vanderLinden

  Can we inoculate society against misinformation? In this episode of Saving the World from Bad Ideas, Mark Lynas sits down with Professor Sander Vanderlinden — social psychologist at the University of Cambridge and author of Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects Our Minds and How to Build Immunity — to take on Bad Idea #26: “Misinformation is just people being wrong on the internet.” They explore how false and misleading information spreads, why even credible institutions sometimes get things wrong, and what we can do to build mental immunity. From fake news to populism, pandemics to AI, this conversation dives deep into the psychology, politics, and future of truth itself.🧠 Topics Discussed: ● 🧩 What counts as “misinformation” — and why intent matters ● 🧠 How our brains are wired to believe and share bad information ● 🧾 The difference between misinformation and disinformation ● 🌡️ COVID-19, lab leaks, and how science self-corrects ● 📺 The weaponization of “fake news” and authoritarian censorship ● 🧍‍♀️ Why polarization and inequality make us more vulnerable to lies ● 📱 How social media algorithms reward outrage and extremism ● 🤖 AI, deepfakes, and the next frontier of disinformation ● 💡 Prebunking and “psychological inoculation” — how to fight back ● 🧘 The power of intellectual humility and open-minded thinking👨‍🏫 Guest Bio:Professor Sander Vanderlinden is Professor of Social Psychology in Society at the University of Cambridge and Director of the Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab. His research explores the psychology of misinformation, polarization, and belief formation. He authored the bestselling book Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects Our Minds and How to Build Immunity (2023) and co-authored The Psychology of Misinformation (2024). His work has been featured by the WHO, the UN, and major media worldwide.📚 Recommended Reading & Resources: ● Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects Our Minds and How to Build Immunity – https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/708295/foolproof-by-sander-van-der-linden/ ● The Psychology of Misinformation – https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/psychology-of-misinformation/2FF48C2E201E138959A7CF0D01F22D84 ● Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab – https://www.sdmlab.psychol.cam.ac.uk/ ● Inoculation Science Project – https://inoculation.science ● Bad News Game –https://www.sdmlab.psychol.cam.ac.uk/research/bad-news-game ● Go Viral! Game (WHO x Cambridge) – https://www.who.int/news/item/23-09-2021-what-is-go-viral ● Cranky Uncle Game (by John Cook) – https://crankyuncle.com/game/ ● “Climate Endgame” (PNAS, 2022) – https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2108146119 ● European Digital Services Act – https://prighter.com/digital-governance/eu-dsa/  ● UK Online Safety Act – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/online-safety-act-explainer/online-safety-act-explainer 💬 Quote Highlights:“Misinformation isn’t just about being wrong — it’s about being misled.” — Sander Vanderlinden “Science can make mistakes, but it self-corrects. Disinformation never does.” “Populism feeds off distrust. Once institutions lose credibility, facts don’t matter anymore.” “We’ve known for thousands of years what misleading rhetoric looks like — Aristotle warned us about it.” “You can’t fact-check your way out of this crisis. We need to inoculate minds, not just correct them.”🌐 About WePlanet: WePlanet is a global citizen and science movement challenging bad ideas and championing evidence-based solutions for climate, nature, and human development. Learn more at https://weplanet.org📥 Join the Conversation: Feedback or questions? Email: [email protected] Subscribe to new episodes:https://weplanet.org/podcast Follow us on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/weplanetint

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• Bad Idea #25 "Climate catastrophism" with Ted NordHaus

  🔍 Episode Summary:Is “climate catastrophism” itself a bad idea? In this episode of Saving the World from Bad Ideas, Mark Lynas is joined by longtime collaborator and eco-modernist thinker Ted Nordhaus, Executive Director of the Breakthrough Institute. Together they take on Bad Idea #21: “We must be climate catastrophists to motivate action.”Nordhaus — co-author of An Ecomodernist Manifesto — argues that apocalyptic climate narratives have backfired, fuelling political backlash and distracting from the real work of pragmatic, technology-driven decarbonisation. The pair explore what the science actually says about climate risk, why catastrophe is not inevitable, and how prosperity and resilience can coexist with climate action. It’s a provocative conversation about fear, facts, and the future — one that challenges both denialism and doomerism.🧠 Topics Discussed: ● 🌡️ What “climate catastrophism” means — and why Ted rejects it ● 📉 Why global emissions are likely to peak soon, and warming is unlikely to exceed 3°C ● 👥 How adaptation, technology, and prosperity have reduced climate vulnerability ● 🌪️ Why deaths from natural disasters are at record lows despite global warming ● 🧭 The limits of single-event attribution studies and the “50x more likely” fallacy ● 🌍 Collapse myths: why population, growth, and decarbonisation trends matter ● 🌳 The Amazon, coral reefs, and what biodiversity loss really means for humans ● 💣 Nuclear war, not climate change, as the real existential threat ● ⚙️ Why geoengineering could cause catastrophe if misused or terminated suddenly ● 🗳️ How climate catastrophism alienated working-class voters and fed political backlash ● ⚛️ Why nuclear and geothermal may be the unsung heroes of decarbonisation👨‍🏫 Guest Bio: Ted Nordhaus is the founder and Executive Director of the Breakthrough Institute, a California-based eco-modernist think tank pioneering pragmatic approaches to climate and energy. He co-authored An Ecomodernist Manifesto (2015) and The Death of Environmentalism (2004), which helped reshape modern environmental thinking. His work focuses on technological innovation, energy systems, and the political economy of decarbonisation.📚 Recommended Reading & Resources: ● Why I’m No Longer a Climate Catastrophist – Ted Nordhaus (2024) ● An Ecomodernist Manifesto – Ted Nordhaus, Mark Lynas et al. ● The Death of Environmentalism – Ted Nordhaus & Michael Shellenberger ● Climate Endgame – Kemp et al. (PNAS, 2022) ● The Fate of Rome – Kyle Harper ● The Precipice – Toby Ord ● Breakthrough Institute – Official Website ● Mark Lynas & Ted Nordhaus in The Wall Street Journal – “Climate Change Isn’t the End of the World” ● The Cleaning Up Podcast – hosted by Michael Liebreich (related episode)💬 Quote Highlights“We don’t need to believe it’s the end of the world to act on climate — we just need to be pragmatic.” — Ted Nordhaus “The world is getting richer, safer, and more resilient — not more fragile.” “If you care about climate risk, don’t bet on apocalypse. Bet on human ingenuity.” “Geoengineering could turn climate change into a real catastrophe — if we start and then stop.” “The clean energy transition won’t be won by fear. It’ll be won by technology, prosperity, and persistence.”🌐 About WePlanet WePlanet is a global citizen and science movement challenging bad ideas and championing evidence-based solutions for climate, nature, and human development. Learn more at https://weplanet.org📥 Join the Conversation 💬 Feedback or questions? Email: [email protected] 📩 Subscribe to new episodes: https://weplanet.org/podcast 👁️ Follow us on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/weplanetint

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• Bad Idea #24 "We’ll just use Hydrogen!" with Michael Liebreich

  🔍 Episode Summary:Is green hydrogen the silver bullet for decarbonisation — or a trillion-dollar distraction? In this episode of Saving the World from Bad Ideas, Mark Lynas is joined by energy analyst, investor, and podcaster Michael Liebreich to unpack Bad Idea #24: “We’ll just use Hydrogen!” Liebreich, founder of Bloomberg New Energy Finance and co-host of the Cleaning Up podcast, makes the provocative case that green hydrogen is over-hyped, fundamentally flawed as a fuel, and destined to remain a niche solution rather than the backbone of a “hydrogen economy.” Together they explore the physics, economics, and politics of hydrogen — why hype keeps returning in 20-year cycles, what role hydrogen can play in industry and fertilisers, and why pragmatism, not techno-fantasy, must drive climate strategy.🧠 Topics Discussed: ● 💧 Why hydrogen is a “really crappy fuel” — and the laws of thermodynamics make it costly ● 📉 The difference between green, blue, grey, turquoise, and pink hydrogen ● 🏭 Current global hydrogen use: 100m tonnes/year, and why 0.1% is green ● 🚢 Why shipping liquid hydrogen is nearly impossible (density, leakage, energy loss) ● 💸 Hydrogen’s “missing trillions”: the cost gap with grey hydrogen ● 🛩️ Europe’s RED III mandate and the looming cost inflation in aviation fuels ● 🚛 Why trucks, steel, and shipping are unlikely to go hydrogen ● 🔋 The rise of electric trucks, batteries, and the hydrogen ladder framework ● ⚖️ Pragmatism vs. hype: why chasing bad ideas risks a climate backlash ● 🐢 The “Pragmatic Climate Reset”: think like a tortoise, not a hare👨‍🏫 Guest Bio: Michael Liebreich is founder of Bloomberg New Energy Finance, managing partner of EcoPragma Capital, and CEO of Liebreich Associates. A former Olympic skier, he is now one of the world’s leading clean-energy analysts. He is also co-host of the podcast Cleaning Up. His influential “Hydrogen Ladder” has shaped debate about where hydrogen makes sense — and where it doesn’t. Michael also writes extensively at Liebreich Associates Essays.📚 Recommended Reading & Resources: ● Michael Liebreich – The Hydrogen Ladder ● Michael Liebreich – The Missing Trillions of Hydrogen ● Michael Liebreich – The Pragmatic Climate Reset (Part I & II) ● Hydrogen Economy – Jeremy Rifkin (2002) ● The Future of Hydrogen – IEA report (2019) ● TNO study on hydrogen costs – https://www.tno.nl/en/newsroom/2022/03/green-hydrogen-production-costs/ ● European RED III Directive – https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/renewable-energy/renewable-energy-directive-targets-and-rules_en● Porsche synthetic fuels project, Chile – https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/2022/company/porsche-chile-haru-oni-efuels-pilot-plant-26823.html💬 Quote Highlights:“Hydrogen is the Swiss Army knife of energy — there’s almost always something cheaper, safer, and more convenient.” — Michael Liebreich “If you care about the climate, the cleanest kilo of hydrogen is the one you never make.” — Michael Liebreich “For every $1/kg cost gap, hydrogen needs $100 billion per year in subsidies. That’s the missing trillions.” — Michael Liebreich“Politicians love hydrogen because it’s a get-out-of-jail-free card. But hype doesn’t change physics.” — Michael Liebreich “Think like a tortoise, not like a hare: go steady, pragmatic, and win the race.” — Michael Liebreich🌐 About WePlanet: WePlanet is a global citizen and science movement challenging bad ideas and championing evidence-based solutions for climate, nature, and human development. Learn more at https://weplanet.org📥 Join the Conversation 💬 Feedback or questions? Email: [email protected] 📩 Subscribe to new episodes: https://weplanet.org/podcast 👁️ Follow us on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/weplanetint

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