Noted anti-global-warming scientist reverses course

[one...two...tree 2,762]

By Brett Michael Dykes

With scientific data piling up showing that the world has reached its hottest-ever point in recorded history, global-warming skeptics are facing a high-profile defection from their ranks. Bjorn Lomborg, author of the influential tract "The Skeptical Environmentalist," has reversed course on the urgency of global warming, and is now calling for action on "a challenge humanity must confront." Lomborg, a Danish academic, had previously downplayed the risk of acute climate change. A former member of Greenpeace, he was a vocal critic of the Kyoto Protocol -- a global U.N. treaty to cut carbon emissions that the United States refused to ratify -- as well as numerous other environmental causes.

"The Skeptical Environmentalist," published in 2001, argued that many key preoccupations of the environmental movement, including pollution control and biodiversity, were either overblown as threats or amenable to relatively simple technological fixes. Lomborg argued that the governments spending billions to curb carbon emissions would be better off diverting those resources to initiatives such as AIDS research, anti-malaria programs and other kinds of humanitarian aid.

Lomborg's essential argument was: Yes, global warming is real and human behavior is the main reason for it, but the world has far more important things to worry about.

Oh, how times have changed.

In a book to be published this year, Lomborg calls global warming "undoubtedly one of the chief concerns facing the world today" and calls for the world's governments to invest tens of billions of dollars annually to fight climate change.

Lomborg's former foes in the environmental movement are so far unimpressed by news of his conversion. Calling him a "shrewd self-promoter," Grist.org's Jonathan Hiskes marveled at Lomborg's ability to "play the media" in simply "adopting a position already held by millions of sensible people." And Friends of the Earth climate campaigner Mike Childs told the U.K. Guardian, "It appears that the self-styled skeptical environmentalist is beginning to become less skeptical as he enters middle age."

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[HAL 9000 96]

TBH, he never really was a true naysayer... he just has problems with the economics behind present policies and the efficiency of current technology.

But its always good to see people realizing they were being obtuse when it comes to denialisms based on policy instead of science.

Edited September 1, 2010 by HAL 9000

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Governments Investing Billions will stop climate change? so damn rich.... idiocy.

[HAL 9000 96]

TBH, he never really was a true naysayer... he just has problems with the economics behind present policies and the efficiency of current technology.

But its always good to see people realizing they were being obtuse when it comes to denialisms based on policy instead of science.

Too early for a bump?

[thongd4me 69]

I seriously doubt if having the government throw money at "climate change" will have much impact.

I do believe it is a serious problem but I think the beginning of a solution has to start with individuals

becoming more conscious of the things they have to do.

Years ago we all walked to go shopping or took the bus. Mass transportation in this country is in

a deplorable shape. Japan is the leading auto producer in the world, but at many major train stations,

you will find indoor storage for thousands of bicycles. In the New York subway system, they have signs

at all stations that anyone chaining a bicycle to the railing will have it removed.

I'm sure that's a huge homeland security issue.

Maybe the government can have an impact by allowing private entrepreneurs to build storage facilities for bicycles.

Like they said in "Field of Dreams" if you build it they will come.

Do Americans have a national "right" to be the laziest SOBs on the planet,

while at the same time killing themselves from overwork?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Never heard of him, and still don't care.

[HAL 9000 96]

So once a more efficient system of producing pollution-free energy exists, our uncaring members can realize that amount of investment can be re-invested in other segments of society, right?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

So once If a more efficient system of producing pollution-free energy exists, our uncaring members can realize that amount of investment can be re-invested in other segments of society, right?

Cash is cash. (Slightly fixxored)

[lostinblue 1,989]

Maybe he found out he can make more money off this book than the last one.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Denial ain't just a river in Egypt. Who knew?