In this extended conversation, climate policy expert Abdul El-Sayed explores the complexities of the climate crisis and the role of masculinity in shaping how men engage, or fail to engage, with climate solutions.

In this extended conversation, climate policy expert Abdul El-Sayed explores the complexities of the climate crisis and the role of masculinity in shaping how men engage, or fail to engage, with climate solutions.

Drilled is a true-crime climate change podcast exposing how corporate corruption and political operatives built decades of climate denial and delay. Hosted and reported by award-winning investigative climate journalists and led by Amy Westervelt, each season unravels new evidence of deception, disinformation, and the power structures keeping real climate solutions out of reach.

In September 2025, a group of Brazilian ministers trekked all the way to chilly North Dakota to see a presentation on a new type of clean energy project, one that promised to help them deliver Brazilian President Lula’s dream of turning Brazil into “the Saudi Arabia of sustainable aviation fuels.” It was the latest in a string of projects from Midwest Republican kingmaker and corn ethanol magnate Bruce Rastetter, whose investments in Brazil might just transform him into a global carbon czar, even as his Summit pipeline carbon project faces fierce opposition from Iowa to North Dakota. The problem? It all requires loads of land and none of it does a thing about climate change.

Drilled is a true-crime climate change podcast exposing how corporate corruption and political operatives built decades of climate denial and delay. Hosted and reported by award-winning investigative climate journalists and led by Amy Westervelt, each season unravels new evidence of deception, disinformation, and the power structures keeping real climate solutions out of reach.
In September 2025, a group of Brazilian ministers trekked all the way to chilly North Dakota to see a presentation on a new type of clean energy project, one that promised to help them deliver Brazilian President Lula&rsquo;s dream of turning Brazil into &ldquo;the Saudi Arabia of sustainable aviation fuels.&rdquo; It was the latest in a string of projects from Midwest Republican kingmaker and corn ethanol magnate Bruce Rastetter, whose investments in Brazil might just transform him into a global carbon czar, even as his Summit pipeline carbon project faces fierce opposition from Iowa to North Dakota. The problem? It all requires loads of land and none of it does a thing about climate change.

A true-crime podcast about climate change, hosted and reported by award-winning investigative journalist Amy Westervelt.

Drilled

Abdul El-Sayed on Climate Complexities and Benevolent Masculinity

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b29fa964-808b-4cda-892d-b3ec00eb9c73/transcript

As his American company Summit Carbon Solutions struggles with backlash to a carbon capture pipeline linking corn ethanol plants across the Midwest, Bruce Rastetter is not slowing down. Instead, he’s celebrating some big wins for his Brazilian company, FS Fueling Sustainability, from new ethanol-friendly climate policy to government funding for their carbon capture project. 

Pushkin+ subscribers can hear episodes early and ad-free. Find Pushkin+ on the Drilled show page on Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus. 

Additional resources:

The link between corn ethanol and deforestation

Peer-reviewed research on the climate problems associated with corn ethanol 

An explainer on BECCS (bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration) 

Reading list on enhanced oil recovery (EOR) 

Read more about the Summit Pipeline project

Carbon Herald on the push to connect Midwest ethanol plants to carbon capture 

Brazilian government document on technical mission to US midwest 

Travel schedule of Brazilian government officials while in the Midwest 

Read more about the explosion of corn ethanol in Brazil: https://drilled.media/news/ethanol-story1

As his American company Summit Carbon Solutions struggles with backlash to a carbon capture pipeline linking corn ethanol plants across the Midwest, Bruce Rastetter is not slowing down. Instead, he&rsquo;s celebrating some big wins for his Brazilian company, FS Fueling Sustainability, from new ethanol-friendly climate policy to government funding for their carbon capture project. Pushkin+ subscribers can hear episodes early and ad-free. Find Pushkin+ on the Drilled show page on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drilled/id1439735906">Apple Podcasts</a> or at <a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/join-pushkin">pushkin.fm/plus</a>. Additional resources:
<a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2014-12/documents/environmental_challenges_associated_with_corn_ethanol_production.pdf">The link between corn ethanol and deforestation</a>
<a href="https://news.wisc.edu/at-bioenergy-crossroads-should-corn-ethanol-be-left-in-the-rearview-mirror/">Peer-reviewed research on the climate problems associated with corn ethanol</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://news.wisc.edu/at-bioenergy-crossroads-should-corn-ethanol-be-left-in-the-rearview-mirror/">An explainer on BECCS (bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration)</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/enhanced-oil-recovery">Reading list on enhanced oil recovery (EOR)</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://drilled.media/news/summit-carbon-pipeline">Read more about the Summit Pipeline project</a>
<a href="https://carbonherald.com/from-corn-to-co2-how-the-midwest-is-powering-the-carbon-capture-drive/#:~:text=Summit%20Carbon%20Solutions%20is%20now,ethanol%20plants%20to%20underground%20storage">Carbon Herald on the push to connect Midwest ethanol plants to carbon capture</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://atosoficiais.com.br/anp/decisao-de-diretoria-n-488-2025-afastamento-do-pais-visita-tecnica-a-beccs-dakota-do-norte-usa?origin=instituicao&amp;q=Disney++us&amp;utm_source=chatgpt.com">Brazilian government document on technical mission to US midwest</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28076897-travel-schedule-beccs-gevo-technical-visit/">Travel schedule of Brazilian government officials while in the Midwest</a>&nbsp; Read more about the explosion of corn ethanol in Brazil:&nbsp;<a href="https://drilled.media/news/ethanol-story1">https://drilled.media/news/ethanol-story1</a>

The Carbon Gold Rush

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/df479c30-e4f1-4977-80ec-b43601063a1d/transcript

For decades we’ve heard that “the markets” will solve the climate crisis. On Drilled: Carbon Cowboys, we put that theory to the test, following Bruce Rastetter, a corn ethanol kingpin-turned-carbon entrepreneur from Iowa to Brazil, and asking the big questions: Are these “climate solutions” actually reducing emissions? Is CO2 increasing or decreasing as carbon becomes a commodity? Or is green colonialism just as extractive as the regular sort?

Drilled: Carbon Cowboys begins on May 12th. Pushkin+ subscribers can hear episodes early and ad-free. Find Pushkin+ on the Drilled show page on Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus. 

 

For decades we&rsquo;ve heard that &ldquo;the markets&rdquo; will solve the climate crisis. On Drilled: Carbon Cowboys, we put that theory to the test, following Bruce Rastetter, a corn ethanol kingpin-turned-carbon entrepreneur from Iowa to Brazil, and asking the big questions: Are these &ldquo;climate solutions&rdquo; actually reducing emissions? Is CO2 increasing or decreasing as carbon becomes a commodity? Or is green colonialism just as extractive as the regular sort?
Drilled: Carbon Cowboys begins on May 12th. Pushkin+ subscribers can hear episodes early and ad-free. Find Pushkin+ on the Drilled show page on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drilled/id1439735906">Apple Podcasts</a> or at&nbsp;<a href="http://pushkin.fm/plus">pushkin.fm/plus</a>.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Welcome to Carbon Cowboys

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b21aefad-096f-4319-a763-b42b0104d17d/transcript

The U.S. invasions of Venezuela and Iran are more of the same imperialism in service of oil majors. As the climate crisis makes its presence more urgently felt, fossil fascism dictates a doubling-down on extraction and colonialism, and the vilification of those who oppose or stand in the way of that plan.

The U.S. invasions of Venezuela and Iran are more of the same imperialism in service of oil majors. As the climate crisis makes its presence more urgently felt, fossil fascism dictates a doubling-down on extraction and colonialism, and the vilification of those who oppose or stand in the way of that plan.

Fossil-fueled Fascism

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/29215f00-fb5e-45a2-9ce1-b43900e1d6cb/transcript

Abdul El-Sayed on Climate Complexities and Benevolent Masculinity

In 1 playlist(s)

Drilled

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips