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"Climate is a problem, not the end of the world" - Danish author Bjorn Lomborg
How far should the world go to stop climate change? On GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, controversial Danish author Bjorn Lomborg discusses his perspective on climate and how it differs from the global climate narrative.
Lomborg acknowledges that global warming is a genuine problem but argues it’s not an apocalyptic threat. This nuance is important, Lomborg says. Because it allows for a more balanced approach to addressing climate, as opposed to an all-encompassing focus on the issue of lowering carbon emissions.
Because most of the world still runs on fossil fuels, he says, the singular focus on net-zero emissions is inefficient and misguided. Instead, Lomborg advocates for a greater emphasis on green innovation as a more practical way to address climate concerns.
Watch the full interview on GZERO World: Climate change: are we overreacting?
Catch GZERO World with Ian Bremmer every week at gzeromedia.com/gzeroworld or on US public television. Check local listings.
Climate change: are we overreacting?
Climate experts agree that climate change is real and human-caused. But how far should the world go to combat it? Will the worst-case scenarios forecast by climate scientists end up a reality?
On GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, author Bjorn Lomborg says the answer is no. Climate change is indeed a problem, he says, but “it’s not the end of the world.”
We're not talking about ‘we need to double or triple [renewable energy capabilities].’ We need a hundred-fold increase,” Lomborg tells Ian Bremmer. “We are far away from this actually being something that will scale even in rich countries and certainly not in poor countries.”
Lomborg worries that policy priorities are out of whack and billions of dollars are being wasted on incremental climate mitigation when there are so many urgent issues, like education or maternal mortality, where that money could be used more effectively.
Catch GZERO World with Ian Bremmer every week at gzeromedia.com/gzeroworld or on US public television. Check local listings.
Ian Explains: Can we save the planet without hurting the economy?
“How much are we willing to sacrifice to stop climate change?”
That’s how the conversation is usually framed, that fighting climate change requires some sort of trade-off: save the planet vs. maintain living standards, reduce carbon emissions vs. increase profits, lower global temperatures vs. lift more people out of poverty.
On Ian Explains, Ian Bremmer argues that this framing is actually a false choice. In the last decade, the underlying technology and economics of decarbonization have improved so much, we no longer need to choose between investing in climate mitigation and economic growth. In fact, clean energy technology like solar panels, wind turbines, and advanced battery storage have become, in many ways, more affordable than fossil fuels.
But despite the clear advantages of decarbonization, powerful interests like Big Oil, fossil fuel workers, and petrostates seem determined to cling to the status quo and slow down the green transition. Can competing interests put aside their differences and short-term goals to come up with a climate policy that works for everyone?
Watch more on this episode of GZERO World with Ian Bremmer on US public television (check local listing) and at gzeromedia.com/gzeroworld.
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