'BradCast' 8/11/2021 (Guest: Climate scientist Dr. Michael E. Mann on the U.N.'s new 'code red' climate assessment)
On today's 'BradCast':\xa0 The alarming new climate assessment by the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that the window is closing for governments to act on man-made climate change, with profound consequences for civilization itself. Described as a 'code red for humanity,'\xa0 the IPCC report cites the 'unprecedented' warming that has already occurred, and warns of worsening, unstoppable catastrophes to come if nations of the world fail to immediately begin to sharply decrease the dangerous burning of fossil fuels. World-renowned climate scientist DR. MICHAEL E. MANN, Distinguished Professor and Director of the Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University, explains key findings of the new report, the various potential paths forward that it outlines based on the choices that world leaders now make, the policies and uncertainties involved, and the report's conclusion that there is still time -- barely \u2013- to avoid the worst consequences with swift action. Mann also discusses 'doomism', and the $3.5 trillion budget framework from President Biden and the Democrats, which he says contains meaningful climate policy that can narrow 'the implementation gap'. Also today: Senate Democrats passed a $3.5 trillion budget framework designed to expand healthcare, childcare, education and much more, and includes long-overdue measures to finally take on our worsening climate emergency. Texas Republican legislators issued arrest warrants for Democratic state lawmakers who departed the state to prevent passage of a massive new voter suppression law. The CDC urged pregnant people to get vaccinated amid a surge in COVID hospitalizations and deaths among expectant mothers. California will mandate vaccines or weekly testing for all teachers and school staff.