The Skeptical Environmentalist

Bjørn Lomborg's The Skeptical Environmentalist challenges the prevailing view of ecological crisis. Lomborg argues that while environmental problems exist, their severity is often overstated, and proposed solutions can be costly and inappropriate. He suggests that investing in poverty alleviation in developing nations might be more beneficial, positing that as societies prosper, they can better afford technologies for environmental improvement.1

The book faced significant criticism, including a negative review in Nature and a ruling by the Danish Committee on Scientific Dishonesty that it deviated from good scientific practice. However, a subsequent review by Heidelberg Appeal Netherlands found only a few accusations against Lomborg to be potentially justified, and the Danish government eventually overturned the committee's ruling. Lomborg later shifted his stance on climate change, acknowledging it as a major problem and advocating for global government investment in mitigation efforts.1