Lomborg in Rolling Stone

Rhetorical excess undercuts the case against global warming. By John Vinocur. 

This year, Esquire celebrates its 75th anniversary and in this connection, the American magazine has asked which people worldwide contribute with something important and significant to the world in the 21st century. The list also features the Nobel Prize winner, Al Gore, the philanthropist, Bill Gates, the presidential candidate, Barack Obama, talk show host, Oprah Winfrey, media mogul, Rupert Murdoch, and the governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

For this Earth Day it is especially important we focus on the world's top priorities. In September, all 193 governments will meet at the UN to set targets for the world for the next 15 years in what is explicitly labeled "Sustainable Development Goals." So, it is worth looking at what we should do first. At my think tank, the Copenhagen Consensus, we've asked 60 teams of top economists including several Nobel laureates to evaluate the economic, social and environmental costs and benefits of the targets, so we can pick the best ones. Here is what we should do in environment.