I like reading, in fact, I’ve got a stack of books, at last count, 12 high beside my bed, 6 in the office, and countless others scattered around the house. I think it drives my wife insane!
But one of my readers, a Rosslander, Wandering Coyote, lent me a book I just had to push to the front of the queue. Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalist’s Guide to Global Warming
I’ve just started the book, and plan to read it over my week off, but I was struck with the simplicity of Bjorn Lomborg’s premise and attitude.
He says in the Preface,
The title of this book has two meanings: the first and obvious one is that we have to set our minds and resources towards the most effective way to tackle long-term global warming. But the second refers to the current nature of the debate. At present anyone who does not support the most radical solutions to global warming is deemed an outcast and is called irresponsible and is seen as possibly an evil puppet of the oil lobby.
It is my contention that this is not the best way to frame a debate on so crucial an issue. I believe that most participants in the debate have good an honourable intentions – we all want to work toward a better world. But to do so, we need to cool the rhetoric, allowing us to have a measured discussion about the best ways forward. Being smart about our future is the reason we have done so well in the past.
Surowiecki in “The Wisdom of Crowds” states…
The more influence a group’s members exert on each other, and the more personal contact they have with each other, the less likely the group’s decisions will be wise ones.
The more influence we exert on each other, the more likely it is that we believe the same things and make the same mistakes. That means that it’s possible that we could become individually smarter, but collectively dumber….Can people make collectively intelligent decisions even when they are in constant, even erratic contact with each other?
Global Warming and Decision-Making, two tough topics. I’ll have more to say on the book, Cool It by Bjorn Lomborg soon.
If you enjoyed this post, why not try these ones:
- Cool It Lomborg
- Community Decision-Making and Independence
- Bjorn Lomborg Again
- BC Climate Action Revenue for Local Governments
- Social Commentary – Building Community
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Glad you’re hooked. It’s a Glad you’re hooked. It’s a very well-written book that shouldn’t take long to get through. I liked his simple writing style; it was like reading a really engaging essay. He sticks to his themes and doesn’t deviate from his premise. I didn’t agree with everything in it, either, but I did think it was worthwhile.
I’m enjoying it so far. His I’m enjoying it so far. His numbers of people who will die from Global Warming or would die if we stopped it make my head spin. It’s almost like an accountant, a million here, a million there…
Having fun in Spokane!
Heres some info on Heres some info on Lomberg/The Skeptical Environmentalist from Wikipedia:
Danish Committees on Scientific Dishonesty (DCSD)
On January 6, 2003 the DCSD reached a decision on the complaints. The ruling was a mixed message, deciding the book to be scientifically dishonest, but Lomborg himself not guilty because of lack of expertise in the fields in question
Objectively speaking, the publication of the work under consideration is deemed to fall within the concept of scientific dishonesty. …In view of the subjective requirements made in terms of intent or gross negligence, however, Bjørn Lomborg’s publication cannot fall within the bounds of this characterization. Conversely, the publication is deemed clearly contrary to the standards of good scientific practice.
The DCSD cited The Skeptical Environmentalist for:
1. Fabrication of data;
2. Selective discarding of unwanted results (selective citation);
3. Deliberately misleading use of statistical methods;
4. Distorted interpretation of conclusions;
5. Plagiarism;
6. Deliberate misinterpretation of others’ results.
Also some interesting reading here:
http://www.grist.org/advice/books/2001/12/12/of/
Eva,
You beat me to the Eva,
You beat me to the punch line! Although the book is a good read, Bjorn Lomborg must be read with a healthy dose of skepticism.
I am going to do a follow up post to this…