The climate scientist Matthew LaPlante says the report missed a few crucial factors. Yes, he says, the lake is drying up — and there’s no denying that climate change and human behavior are responsible. But, not in the next five years. LaPlante argues, in his own report, that climate science is complex, and predicting weather patterns, especially in this region, isn’t straightforward. He says we should also consider how groundwater works and chaos theory. LaPlante is our guest today to talk about his concerns with the BYU report and how he sees better ways to model the futures of the Great Salt Lake.
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Matthew LaPlante | Climate scientist, associate professor of journalism at Utah State University, a former staff reporter for The Salt Lake Tribune and the host of the science-themed program “UnDisciplined” on Utah Public Radio. You can read his articles here and listen to his podcast series here: Part One, Part Two and Part Three.
Airdate: Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.