From ClimateREALISM

By Linnea Lueken

A recent article in Forbes written by Bill Frist, titled “The Changing Climate Is A Health Crisis: A Call To Action For Human Well-Being,” makes the oft-repeated claim that climate change is threatening to harm and already actively harming human health. This is false. Many of the conditions Frist claims are worsening are not actually worsening, and others lack sufficient data to place blame on climate change.

Frist, a medical doctor and former Republican U.S. Senate Majority Leader, begins by attributing the still burning Los Angeles wildfires, and recent hurricanes, and heat waves to climate change. Climate Realism has touched on why none of these are due to the modest warming of the past century, regardless of any human contributions, here, here, and here, respectively.

“The connection is undeniable: a progressively warming planet with increasing extreme weather patterns and biodiversity loss is reshaping the conditions necessary for human survival, with profound consequences for the well-being of each of us, both for today and tomorrow,” writes Frist. He lists several ways by which this is supposedly occurring, and while we won’t cover each in detail in this post, none of his points break new ground — each and every claims is based on the false premise that climate change is a catastrophic threat.

Frist’s first argument is about “Heat stress and chronic illness,” claiming that heatwaves are “becoming the norm” and killing people. This claim misses the bigger picture. While it is true that globally there has been a slight increase in the number of deaths due to heat, conveniently left out of the discussion is that the number of deaths due to cold has declined dramatically, by more than twice as much as heat deaths have risen. Peer reviewed research consistently shows that cold temperatures kill far more people than hot temperatures. As a result, the recent modest warming has resulted in a substantial net decline in number of people dying due to temperature across the globe, as discussed in Climate at a Glance: Temperature Related Deaths.

For the United States, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data show that the number of unusually hot days has not been increasing. Meteorologist Anthony Watts explains in “Media Chases ‘Climate Enhanced’ Heat Waves, Misses Data Showing They are Less Frequent,” that “only 19 percent of all weather stations reported an increase in the number of unusually hot days since 1948.” The other stations report either a decrease or no change at all in the number of unusually hot days.

Air pollution causing respiratory problems is another issue Frist links to climate change: lumping fossil fuel combustion related pollution, in with smoke from wildfires, and “ground-level ozone created by air pollutant chemical reactions, and fine particulate matter contribute to respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).”

In this broadside, Frist illegitimately lumps a few different issues of concern together linking them to climate change, when there is no such link. Any health problems stemming from particulate pollution or ozone from fossil fuel use have nothing to do with climate change. In fact, both types of pollution have declined even as the Earth has modestly warmed.

Smoke from wildfires can be unhealthy, but wildfires aren’t getting worse, as Climate Realism has shown dozens of times, so climate change isn’t causing more smoke from wildfires.

As things stand, the United States has never had cleaner air. EPA data show emissions of common pollutants like ozone, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and volatile organic compounds have decreased. (See figure below)

Frist also claims, as others have misleadingly asserted before him, that vector borne diseases like malaria will increase and that pressure on ecosystems will lead to more human-animal contact and more zoonotic disease. In Climate at a Glance: Malaria and Mosquito-Borne Diseases, data from the World Health Organization (WHO) visualized by Our World in Data show very clearly that malaria has been declining over time, with the exception of an uptick in 2020 due to constraints on aid during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is also a wide body of scientific literature from disease experts (compiled in Chapter Four of Climate Change Reconsidered II: Fossil Fuels) that shows modest warming would not necessarily lead to more of those types of diseases. Current disease data does not support the climate-exacerbation theory. Factors besides climate change drive the spread of insect borne diseases. The presence of standing water, for example, is one big factor contributing to mosquito-borne diseases. Simple measures like using mosquito netting and spraying insecticides cuts down on incidences much more dramatically than a modest warming might expand the areas where disease bearing mosquitos could exist.

Frist’s most egregious and offensive claim is his linking “mental health and climate anxiety,” claiming that extreme weather is resulting in “increasing rates of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).” This is self-deception and projection on Frist’s part. Extreme weather is not actually getting worse. As a result, what is really driving fear of climate change is alarmists like Frist and mainstream outlets continually push the narrative that every natural disaster is being caused by climate change and they are all getting worse – a claim that has no basis in fact.

Losing one’s home or loved ones to a natural disaster is genuinely traumatizing, but, as discussed here, here, and here, it is the media that is driving “climate anxiety” and other mental problems associated with climate change. It is the false doom mongering reporting, not measured changes in the climate, that is generating unwarranted climate fear. “Climate anxiety” is entirely a construct of the media alarmist industry telling people that they should be terrified of an existential crisis which only exists in their own echo chambers. Data does not show the planet is hurtling towards becoming “unlivable” and yet that’s exactly the narrative that Frist and his ilk in the media are pushing.

Frist and Forbes are perpetuating the baseless claims that weather has become more unpredictable and extreme when long-term data demonstrates that it has not, and that climate change presents an existential threat to human life and health, when it does not. They are misinforming their readers in order to spur environmental action, but instead are generating hopelessness and fear. This is shameful behavior.

By JP Errico

The incoming Trump administration has set an ambitious goal to transform the culture and operations of government. A recurring theme across all initiatives is the decoupling of corporate interests from regulatory activities—especially when these interests conflict with the well-being of Americans. Whether addressing the military-industrial complex, the coziness among monopolistic banks and federal regulators, or the incestuous ties between the food, drug, and insurance industries and their agency overseers, the new administration seeks to disrupt the status quo.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) consists of an entrenched system of captured agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which have long been influenced by big agriculture, pharmaceutical conglomerates, and insurance providers. Having worked in the healthcare sector as an entrepreneur, scientist, and executive, I have experienced this dysfunction firsthand. Trump has enlisted a team of reformers—led by —who aim to shift the focus of HHS from corporate profit to public health, creating a departmental culture basedin integrity, transparency, and the well-being of Americans.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and HHS: Cleaning Up America’s Food System

RFK Jr. has spent decades challenging corporate malfeasance in the pharmaceutical, food, and insurance industries, as well as the government agencies that have facilitated it. As Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kennedy plans to realign the department around promoting health, eliminating chronic disease, and restoring public trust. Central to this mission is addressing the root causes of America’s health crisis, such as neurotoxic and inflammation-triggering food additives, ultra-processed foods, and the incentives that encourage insurance and pharmaceutical companies to perpetuate sickness rather than restore health.

Critics have distorted Kennedy’s views on vaccination to undermine his credibility. Yet his position has been consistent and sound: vaccines, like any other medical product, should be subject to rigorous safety standards. RFK Jr. wants transparency in vaccine manufacturing, including clear labeling of ingredients and removal of carcinogenic or mutagenic contaminants. His commitment to scientific rigor and public health, combined with his defense of free speech, positions him as a transformative leader for HHS.

The FDA Under Dr. Marty Makary: Tackling Industry Capture

The FDA is plagued by a “revolving door” of agency officials transitioning to lucrative industry jobs, creating conflicts of interest that compromise regulatory decisions. This culture has allowed pharmaceutical companies, food manufacturers, and medical device firms to exert undue influence over the agency’s actions, from drug approvals to food safety regulations.

Dr. Marty Makary, a surgeon and public health advocate, aims to restore the FDA’s independence and credibility. He plans to implement stricter conflict-of-interest policies to prevent regulators from joining the industries they oversee.

Makary will also target harmful food ingredients, such as seed oils and artificial dyes, which are linked to chronic health conditions. He wants to the practice of letting industry self-certify food additives as “generally regarded as safe” (GRAS), ensuring better oversight of food safety. By refocusing the FDA’s priorities on public health rather than corporate interests, Makary seeks to rebuild confidence in one of the nation’s most critical regulatory agencies.

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya at the NIH: Restoring Scientific Integrity

The NIH has faced criticism for its mishandling of scientific debate and suppression of dissent during the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency’s alignment with political and pharmaceutical agendas eroded public trust in both the NIH and the broader field of medical science.

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford professor and public health researcher, has been an outspoken critic of the NIH’s approach to COVID-19, including its suppression of alternative viewpoints on the virus’s origins, lockdown measures, and vaccine safety. His appointment signals a commitment to restoring the NIH’s mission of advancing unbiased medical research. Bhattacharya plans to create an environment where scientific dissent is encouraged rather than silenced, ensuring that public health policies are informed by a diversity of perspectives.

Bhattacharya also aims to diversify research funding, redirecting resources from such “sacred cows” as the amyloid beta theory of Alzheimer’s and the serotonin hypothesis of depression to promising approaches that prioritize nutrition, preventive care, and innovative treatments. He will work to address inequities in grant distribution, ensuring that smaller, innovative researchers have a fair shot at funding. Under Bhattacharya’s leadership, the NIH is poised to become a beacon of scientific integrity and inclusivity.

A Collective Vision for Reform

This collective effort marks more than a policy shift—it is a cultural transformation. By prioritizing transparency, accountability, and public health, the incoming administration aims to restore trust in HHS and its agencies. While the challenges ahead are significant, the commitment of these leaders offers hope for a healthier, more equitable future for all Americans.

JP Errico is a highly accomplished scientist with a diverse range of expertise as an executive, entrepreneur, and inventor. He is an expert on the Autonomic Nervous System. He is the Founder of ElectroCore, where he pioneered a non-invasive Vagus Nerve stimulator. JP has been credited as an inventor on over 250 issued US patents. He went to MIT for undergrad and holds graduate degrees in both law and mechanical/materials engineering from Duke University.

This article was originally published by RealClearHealth and made available via RealClearWire.

From the DAILY CALLER

Thomas English
Contributor

President Joe Biden signed an executive order Tuesday, just six days before he leaves office, that aims to bolster the United States’ artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure and “accelerate the clean energy transition.”

The executive order directs the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Energy (DOE) to lease federal property to the private sector to build “gigawatt-scale” AI data centers while enlisting the Department of the Interior to “identify lands it manages that are suitable for clean energy.” The move is the latest in a series of last-minute advances for the president’s green energy agenda, which includes a newly-announced crackdown for future offshore oil and gas drilling.

“This Executive Order will direct the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy to lease federal sites where the private sector can build frontier AI infrastructure at speed and scale,” the official White House statement reads. “These efforts are designed to accelerate the clean energy transition in a way that is responsible and respectful to local communities, and in a way that does not impose any new costs on American families.”

I know many are skeptical about the need for clean energy.

Some don’t believe climate change is real – they’re wrong. The clean energy transition is already happening, and the United States must win.

This will shape the future of the global economy and the planet.

— President Biden (@POTUS) January 14, 2025

The order defines “clean energy generation resources” as geothermal, nuclear fission and fusion, solar, wind, hydroelectric, hydrokinetic and marine energy — or any energy source that produces “few or no emissions of carbon dioxide.” (RELATED: Trump Reportedly Mulling Exec Order To Shield Americans’ Gas Stoves From Bureaucrats)

The energy consumed while training large language models (LLMs) has long been a concern for climate activists, who point out that AI and cryptocurrency data centers accounted for nearly 2% of global energy consumption in 2022 — a figure that could double by 2026, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The White House also called the development of U.S. AI infrastructure a “national security imperative” in the statement, emphasizing the need to prevent adversaries from harnessing the “powerful systems.”

“Domestic data centers for training and operating powerful AI models will help the United States facilitate AI’s safe and secure development, harness AI in service of national security, and prevent adversaries from accessing powerful systems to the detriment of our military and national-security,” the statement claims.

The administration added that the U.S. should not “sacrifice critical environmental standards and our shared efforts to protect clean air and clean water” in the effort to maintain AI dominance. Biden also announced Monday a new restriction on advanced semiconductor exports, which aims to prevent countries like China from training advanced LLMs.

The executive order is another eleventh-hour move in what appears to be an effort to stymy President-elect Donald Trump’s energy agenda, which is expected to include a vast expansion of oil and gas drilling on federal lands and waters. Biden announced a ban Monday for future offshore oil and gas activity across 625 million acres of the outer continental shelf, citing a law that could prevent a successive administration from easily reversing the policy.

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