Sanity Check

Latest Episodes:

I Led the USGCRP. Here's What's Different Now. Jul 31, 2026

Show notes

When the United States Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) was dissolved, many assumed its role in federal climate policy had come to an end. Now the program has returned under new leadership and with a different direction. In this episode of Sanity Check, David Legates draws on his own experience as a former Executive Director of the USGCRP to explain what the agency does, why it matters, and how its structure has changed. He reflects on the challenges he faced during his brief tenure and outlines three reasons he believes the reconstituted program has a stronger opportunity to reshape the next National Climate Assessment. Along the way, he discusses federal climate research, institutional reform, and the importance of scientific integrity in government reporting.

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Latin America Says No To Energy Poverty Jul 24, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Created to Reign, Vijay Jayaraj discusses the oil, coal, and natural gas comeback in Latin America. Contrary to what some people say, this is not reneging on "creation care," but a Christian attitude toward earth stewardship and care for the poor.

The Heat Wave Headline That Didn't Last Jul 10, 2026

Show notes

When CNN declared that the July heat wave would have been "virtually impossible" without fossil fuel emissions, it pointed to a rapid-attribution study as proof. But does the evidence support such a sweeping claim?

In this episode of Sanity Check, Dr. David Legates examines the meteorology behind the heat wave, explains how attribution studies are conducted, and explores the assumptions driving claims that individual weather events can be linked to human-caused climate change. Along the way, he uncovers a curious twist: the original CNN article quietly disappeared and was replaced with a revised version that dramatically downplayed its headline claim.

Join us as we separate atmospheric science from media narrative and ask whether today's climate reporting is keeping pace with sound scientific reasoning.

https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/03/weather/heat-wave-nyc-dc-forecast-climate <Link now redirects elsewhere>

https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/fossil-fuels-are-heating-americas-250th-birthday/

https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/26/climate/european-heat-wave-impossible-global-warming

US-India Big, Beautiful Deal? Jun 26, 2026

Show notes

Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent visit to India highlighted a growing area of agreement between two of the world’s largest democracies: the need for abundant, reliable energy. As India’s economy expands and hundreds of millions continue moving into the middle class, demand for electricity, transportation fuels, and industrial energy is set to rise dramatically in the decades ahead.

In this episode, Vijay Jayaraj, a Research Associate with the Cornwall Alliance, examines the prospects for a deeper U.S.-India energy partnership and argues that both nations are increasingly embracing an energy strategy rooted in realism rather than climate politics. From coal and natural gas to energy security and economic growth, Jayaraj explores why India continues to prioritize dependable power sources and how American energy exports could help meet that demand.

How to Manufacture a Climate Crisis Jun 19, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Sanity Check, David Legates examines a Guardian article claiming that U.S. immigration enforcement flights carry a "huge climate cost." Looking beyond the headline, he compares the reported emissions with total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, aviation emissions, and other major sources to ask whether the article's conclusions are supported by meaningful context. Along the way, he discusses media framing, statistical significance, selective comparisons, and how climate narratives are increasingly woven into debates over public policy. The episode argues that informed discussion requires proportion, historical perspective, and careful interpretation of the numbers—not simply dramatic headlines.

https://www.theGuardian.com/us-news/2026/may/26/us-immigration-flights-emissions

https://www.statista.com/statistics/183943/us-carbon-dioxide-emissions-from-1999/

https://cis.org/Report/Immigration-United-States-and-WorldWide-Greenhouse-Gas-Emissions

https://clivebest.com/blog/?p=11131

Another Climate Case Falls Short Jun 13, 2026

Show notes

After a string of high-profile climate lawsuits, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has delivered a ruling that supporters of sound energy policy may have reason to celebrate.

In this episode of Sanity Check, David Legates examines a lawsuit brought by twenty-three young activists challenging President Trump's executive orders aimed at expanding domestic energy production. The plaintiffs argued that policies supporting oil, gas, hydropower, and other energy resources violated their constitutional rights and threatened their future. Both the district court and the Ninth Circuit ultimately disagreed, concluding that the sweeping relief requested was beyond the proper role of the judiciary.

David unpacks the legal arguments, the court's reasoning, and the broader strategy behind climate litigation campaigns led by organizations such as Our Children's Trust. He also argues that while constitutional and procedural challenges may continue to derail these cases, the long-term battle must be fought on scientific grounds. Courts may dismiss lawsuits for lack of standing or separation-of-powers concerns, but unless exaggerated claims about climate catastrophe are challenged directly, the underlying narrative remains intact.

What does this ruling mean for future climate litigation? Why are activists increasingly turning to the courts to achieve policy goals? And why does David believe the scientific debate remains the most important front in the fight against climate alarmism?

Join us as we take a closer look at a significant legal victory—and the larger challenges that still lie ahead.

Sources:

https://montanafreepress.org/2026/06/02/ninth-circuit-court-denies-young-americans-lawsuit-challenging-trumps-handling-of-climate-change/

https://www.climatecasechart.com/documents/lighthiser-v-trump-memorandum_7eae

The Pacific's Climate Wild Card Jun 05, 2026

Show notes

El Niño may begin as a patch of unusually warm water in the Pacific Ocean, but its effects can be felt across the globe. In this episode of Sanity Check, David R. Legates explores one of the most powerful climate phenomena on Earth and explains why forecasters are closely watching the possibility of a particularly strong El Niño developing in the months ahead.

What exactly is El Niño? Why are scientists watching the Pacific Ocean so closely this year? And how can changing ocean temperatures near South America influence rainfall in California, droughts in Australia, Atlantic hurricanes, agricultural production, wildfire risk, and even food prices around the world?

Dr. Legates walks through the science behind the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), explains how El Niño differs from La Niña, and discusses what current forecasts may mean for weather patterns in the United States and beyond. Along the way, he offers a reminder that while climate models can provide valuable guidance, nature often retains a few surprises of its own.

Whether you've heard the term for years or are encountering it for the first time, this episode provides a clear and accessible introduction to one of the most influential drivers of global weather.

Show notes:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-026-01921-6

https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/european-forecast-super-el-nino-strongest-ever-ocean-pacific-atlantic-hurricane-season

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ninonina.html

Why Science is Deadly Without Christ May 22, 2026

Show notes

This episode of Sanity Check examines a question that sits at the heart of modern scientific culture: Can science remain ethical when divorced from a moral framework? Drawing from a standout presentation delivered at the recent Cornwall Alliance Spring Conference in Memphis, Daniel O’Malley argues that science can tell us what can be done, but not what should be done—and that without Christianity, science risks becoming untethered from truth, ethics, and human responsibility.

In this episode, David R. Legates reflects on his own experiences facing skepticism as a Christian scientist, from university audiences to media interviews, and explores the deeper assumption behind those encounters: that secularism is objective while Christianity is inherently biased. The discussion challenges that premise directly, arguing that every scientific enterprise is ultimately guided by some moral vision, whether acknowledged or not.

Why Climate Models Are Changing Course May 17, 2026

Show notes

For years, the most extreme climate scenarios shaped headlines, policy debates, and public fear—despite growing evidence that many of those projections were increasingly detached from real-world energy and emissions trends. Now, in a major shift ahead of the IPCC’s Seventh Assessment Report, climate modelers are quietly abandoning some of their most dramatic assumptions.

In this episode of Sanity Check, David R. Legates breaks down the rise and fall of RCP8.5 and SSP5-8.5, the “worst-case” climate pathways that came to dominate public discourse, and explains why CMIP7 is moving in a different direction. From coal projections and emissions trends to media narratives and scientific self-correction, this episode explores what these changes mean for climate science, public policy, and the future of the climate debate.

https://gmd.copernicus.org/articles/19/2627/2026/

https://rogerpielkejr.substack.com/p/rcp85-is-officially-dead

https://www.theclimatebrink.com/p/emissions-are-no-longer-following

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-51281986

https://www.carbonbrief.org/explainer-the-high-emissions-rcp8-5-global-warming-scenario/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360544217314597

What Does the "Green" Agenda do to the Developing World? May 08, 2026

Show notes

This episode is a bit different from our usual content. We are bringing you a lecture from our inaugural conference, "Heaven and Earth, the Struggle for Faith and Science in the Public Square." If you missed our conference, you're in luck, because we're bringing you a key lecture from our very own Vijay Jayaraj. He dismantles the "green" movement and demonstrates, with compelling evidence, how these protocols damage the developing world.

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