The media got it all wrong on the new US climate report

Announced with much fanfare 11 months ago, the Paris Climate Treaty finally came into force earlier this month – just in time for the election of Donald Trump to potentially render the whole thing moot.

But there’s a bigger problem for climate campaigners than Trump. It’s that the Paris Treaty will in any case have very little effect on temperature change.

It promises to keep temperature rises below 2C. But there is no way any of the Paris promises will get anywhere close to achieving this.

You’ll be hit by two big things: (1) Despite the nonstop stream of depressing news, the world is actually getting to be a better place—cleaner, more prosperous, less violent. (2) By pursuing commonsensical, cost-effective programs to battle the troubles still plaguing our planet, we can achieve a level of prosperity and quality of life for all that would have been deemed utterly unattainable only a few years ago. You’ll be heartened and inspired by much of what you hear in our absorbing conversation.

There are some smart climate solutions the world should definitely pursue. In an interview on Varney & Co, Lomborg points out that innovation in green energy technologies could eventually enable India, China, Africa and the rest of the world to make the switch away from fossil fuels.