Sanity Check

Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation

Welcome to Sanity Check (formerly Created to Reign), a production of the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation. On this podcast, Dr. E. Calvin Beisner, Dr. David Legates, and experts in science, economics, theology, ethics, and public policy strive to think Biblically about creation care, global warming, and the world’s poor.

  1. Jun 13

    Another Climate Case Falls Short

    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 Visit our podcast resource page: https://cornwallalliance.org/listen%20to%20our%20podcast%20created%20to%20reign/ Our work is entirely supported by donations from people like you. If you benefit from our work and would like to partner with us, please visit www.cornwallalliance.org/donate.

    10 min
  2. Jun 5

    The Pacific's Climate Wild Card

    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 Visit our podcast resource page: https://cornwallalliance.org/listen%20to%20our%20podcast%20created%20to%20reign/ Our work is entirely supported by donations from people like you. If you benefit from our work and would like to partner with us, please visit www.cornwallalliance.org/donate.

    11 min
  3. May 17

    Why Climate Models Are Changing Course

    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 Visit our podcast resource page: https://cornwallalliance.org/listen%20to%20our%20podcast%20created%20to%20reign/ Our work is entirely supported by donations from people like you. If you benefit from our work and would like to partner with us, please visit www.cornwallalliance.org/donate.

    13 min
  4. Apr 24

    The Myth of Environmental Tipping Points

    The concept of “planetary boundaries” has become one of the most influential frameworks in modern environmental science—shaping global policy, corporate behavior, and public perception. But how solid is it, really?  In this episode of Sanity Check, Dr. David R. Legates examines the origins of the planetary boundaries model and walks through each of its ten proposed limits—from climate change and biodiversity loss to ocean chemistry and chemical pollution. Along the way, he raises critical questions about the scientific ambiguity behind so-called “tipping points,” the arbitrariness of defined thresholds, and the growing tendency to treat uncertain models as settled fact.  Are we truly approaching environmental collapse—or are we being guided by a framework that overstates risk and underestimates resilience?  This episode challenges one of the dominant narratives in environmental discourse and asks whether these “guardrails” are grounded in reality—or constructed to drive a predetermined conclusion. Links:  https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adh2458 https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a45124009/humanity-oversteps-planetary-boundaries/ https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a70381572/aquatic-deoxygenation-planetary-boundaries-climate-crisis/ Visit our podcast resource page: https://cornwallalliance.org/listen%20to%20our%20podcast%20created%20to%20reign/ Our work is entirely supported by donations from people like you. If you benefit from our work and would like to partner with us, please visit www.cornwallalliance.org/donate.

    11 min
  5. Apr 17

    Sue and Settle

    What happens when lawsuits quietly shape public policy—without a full trial, public scrutiny, or legislative debate? In this episode of Sanity Check, David R. Legates unpacks the controversial practice known as “sue-and-settle.” What begins as a seemingly straightforward legal mechanism—citizens holding agencies accountable—can, in practice, become something far more complex. Through negotiated settlements between advocacy groups and federal agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency, binding regulations can emerge behind closed doors, often bypassing the traditional rulemaking process and limiting public input. This episode walks through how sue-and-settle works, why it’s been used under laws like the Clean Air Act, and where the real controversy lies: accountability, transparency, and the balance of power in a democratic system. With millions in taxpayer-funded legal fees and far-reaching regulatory consequences at stake, critics argue this approach amounts to “regulation through litigation.” Is sue-and-settle an efficient tool for enforcing the law—or a loophole that sidelines the public and reshapes policy without consent? Tune in for a clear-eyed breakdown of one of the most debated—and least understood—mechanisms in modern environmental governance. https://openthebooks.substack.com/p/trump-epa-ends-exorbitant-pay-outs https://www.uschamber.com/regulations/sue-and-settle-regulating-behind-closed-doors https://virginialawreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Tyson_Book.pdf https://www.heritage.org/environment/commentary/environmentalists-sue-settle-and-apologize-later Visit our podcast resource page: https://cornwallalliance.org/listen%20to%20our%20podcast%20created%20to%20reign/ Our work is entirely supported by donations from people like you. If you benefit from our work and would like to partner with us, please visit www.cornwallalliance.org/donate.

    11 min
4.9
out of 5
75 Ratings

About

Welcome to Sanity Check (formerly Created to Reign), a production of the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation. On this podcast, Dr. E. Calvin Beisner, Dr. David Legates, and experts in science, economics, theology, ethics, and public policy strive to think Biblically about creation care, global warming, and the world’s poor.

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