Fringe individuals who deny the climate crisis, asserting that the Earth is “cooling” and that greenhouse emissions benefit “biological productivity,” are gaining significant exposure on YouTube, thanks to the influence of conservative personality Jordan Peterson. This revelation comes from recently analyzed viewership data by DeSmog, highlighting a substantial increase in visibility for public figures who have long been associated with climate denial. Their ideas, which include claims that increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere boosts plant growth, are no longer widely taken seriously by most mainstream media outlets.
Among these climate crisis deniers are Judith Curry, Steven Koonin, Richard Lindzen, Alex Epstein, and Bjorn Lomborg. Despite having either a limited presence on YouTube or none at all, these individuals have collectively amassed nearly five million views from their appearances on Peterson’s channel, which boasts 7.31 million subscribers. To put this in perspective, The New York Times, with 4.33 million YouTube subscribers, has fewer.
This situation particularly concerns climate scientists and experts in countering disinformation because Peterson has been targeting disaffected males in their twenties and younger for years. Traditionally, those sceptical or dismissive of climate change tended to be older individuals. Peterson is now sowing doubts about the seriousness and urgency of global warming among younger generations through his podcast and social media posts.
In a tweet posted in June, he referred to “climate change” as “the idiot socialist get-out-of-jail-free card.
Jordan Peterson’s Alliance for Responsible Citizenship and its Climate Change Denial Agenda
Jordan Peterson is currently taking steps to lend substantial political support to the climate crisis denial movement. In late October and early November, the newly established Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC), founded by Peterson, will convene its inaugural meetings in London, England. Notably, the ARC’s advisory board includes Vivek Ramaswamy, a Republican presidential candidate, who asserted during GOP debates in August that “the climate change agenda is a hoax.”
Among the group’s advisors is Danish political scientist Bjorn Lomborg, who appeared on Peterson’s podcast earlier this year and argued that “climate change is a legitimate concern, but it is not the catastrophic doomsday scenario it’s often portrayed as.” Lomborg did not respond to inquiries from DeSmog. Additional advisors include Texas Republican congress member Dan Crenshaw, Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee, former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott, and a multitude of conservative policymakers, financiers, activists, and journalists from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
The Alliance for Responsible Citizenship is receiving backing from the founders and leaders of the Legatum Group, an investment firm headquartered in Dubai. This firm is associated with The Legatum Institute, a pro-Brexit think tank in London with close affiliations to the U.K. Conservative Party. The Legatum Group is also a major investor in the right-wing British television network GB News. A comprehensive report on ARC’s connections in the U.K. can be found in DeSmog’s detailed analysis.
Experts argue that this positions Jordan Peterson as a pivotal figure on the global stage in the efforts to resist and delay action on climate change. Michael Mann, the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media director at the University of Pennsylvania, stated, “I would assert that Jordan Peterson has become a central figure in the machinery of climate change denial.”
YouTube Channel of Jordan Peterson Allows Ads Contrary to Google’s Climate Policy, Critics Say
Jordan Peterson’s influence largely hinges on his massive YouTube following, surpassing even MSNBC and The Daily Wire, which generated $100 million in annual revenue. However, Google, YouTube’s parent company, introduced a policy in October 2021 to ban ads on content that denies established climate science, though discussions on climate change are allowed.
Despite this policy, Peterson’s recent video titled “The Great Climate Con” featured ads from Birch Gold and Masterworks, even though climate scientists argue that his perspective on rising greenhouse gas emissions is misleading, given the adverse effects of global warming.
One instance of Peterson’s amplifying influence is his interview with Judith Curry, a former climatologist who, during a 2015 congressional testimony, incorrectly challenged the human role in recent climate change. In a recent podcast with Peterson, she baselessly suggested the planet might cool in the next three decades despite July being the hottest month ever recorded.
Another example involves conservative author and fossil fuel activist Alex Epstein, who saw a significant boost in his video views after appearing on Peterson’s podcast. Epstein claims that Peterson now supports his belief that the movement to eliminate fossil fuels is flawed, arguing for a warmer world with more CO2.
Influence and Impact of Jordan Peterson’s Climate Views
Peterson frequently echoes these views on his podcast, despite actual scientists disagreeing with the celebration of greening due to rising greenhouse gases. For instance, during an interview with Steven Koonin, Peterson highlighted a 15 per cent increase in greening since 2000, which many experts refute.
While Peterson lacks expertise in climate science and politics, he remains an influential promoter of illogical ideas, according to experts. During a 2022 interview on Joe Rogan’s podcast, Peterson argued that modelling the climate accurately over 100 years is impossible due to its complexity, a viewpoint criticized by climate scientists.
Furthermore, Peterson is part of a broader digital network that disseminates climate crisis denial content on YouTube, amassing nearly 74 million views in total. This content is financially supported by YouTube ads, creating a troubling cycle.
Experts warn that climate crisis denial, fueled by Google and YouTube, may have real-world consequences. A recent poll indicates that 72 per cent of U.S. Republican supporters prioritize the economy over addressing climate change, with increased opposition to coastal wind turbines and bills protecting gas stoves in homes despite record-breaking heat waves.
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