The Inflation Reduction Act Does Little to Reduce Climate Change

Today, 120 world leaders and 30,000 delegates will start arriving in Glasgow for the Cop26 climate change conference. 

Watching from afar will be Bjorn Lomborg, the former Greenpeace activist who, in his acclaimed 2001 book The Skeptical Environmentalist, concluded that the costly measures being dreamed up by politicians, scientists and businessmen have proved next to useless. 

Here, he explains why little has changed.

In their bids to showcase climate leadership ahead of the approaching United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26), world leaders are once again talking of ambitious carbon reduction targets. U.S. President Joe Biden, for example, has set the goal of creating “a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and net zero emissions economy by no later than 2050.” Most rich countries’ governments have formulated similar ambitions.

NATO Review » 2012 security predictions » Climate, disease and food - a lot still to do. Climate, disease and food - a lot still to do

In 2012, the issue that we make the least progress on – but lament at length about – will remain global warming. Campaigners will continue to use doomsday language to try to hustle for faster action. Climate change negotiators will continue to dress up their failures as victories.   Read it online Art BL 2012-02 NATO Review.pdf