India, Trump and climate change: There may be unexpected opportunities that lie ahead

Op-ed by Bjørn Lomborg in Project Syndicate, 13 Jan, 2013. PRAGUE – Scare stories have been an integral part of the global warming narrative for a long time. Back in 1997, Al Gore told us that global warming was making the El Niño winds stronger and more severe. That has not happened. Greenpeace and many others have told us for years that we will see more violent hurricanes.

For three decades, climate campaigners have fought to make fossil fuels so expensive that people would be forced to abandon them. Their dream is becoming reality: Energy prices are spiraling out of control and will soon get even worse. Yet we are no closer to solving climate change.

Global leaders recently swept into New York for the United Nations General Assembly, trailed by thousands of media, activists and protestors. During the high-level get-together, two very different meetings held at the exactly same time revealed much about their priorities—and their flawed approach to the planet’s biggest problems.