The Skeptical Environmentalist

The Skeptical Environmentalist: Measuring the Real State of the World (TSE) (Danish: Verdens Sande Tilstand) is a controversial book by political scientist Bjørn Lomborg, which argues that claims made about global warming, overpopulation, declining energy resources, deforestation, species loss, water shortages, and a variety of other global environmental issues are exaggerations and unsupported by a proper analysis of the relevant data. It was first published in Danish in 1998, and the English edition was published as a peer-reviewed work in environmental economics by Cambridge University Press in 2001.

Overview

The Skeptical Environmentalist challenges many popular examples of serious environmentalist concerns by assembling and interpreting data from a large number of sources, and suggests that, by presenting false claims, environmentalists cause resources to be diverted to environmental issues, when those resources could be better spent elsewhere. It cites some 3,000 individual references from primary and secondary material. Much of its methodology and integrity have been subject to criticism from scientists who argue that Lomborg has distorted the various fields of research he covers. Support for the book (and criticism of its critics) has been staunch as well, notably, from respected news media, including The Economist and the New York Times.

Related Topics:
Methodology - Criticism - Scientist - News media - The Economist - New York Times

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Lomborg, a Danish Political Sciences Ph.D and former associate professor lecturing in statistics, has no formal training in environmental science. In numerous interviews, he ascribed his motivation for writing TSE to his personal convictions, making clear that he was a pro-environmentalist and a Greenpeace supporter (contrary to reports, not a "member", as Greenpeace does not have regular card-carrying membership). He has stated that he began his research as an attempt to counter what he saw as anti-ecological arguments by Julian Simon in an article in Wired, but changed his mind after starting to analyze the data. Lomborg describes the views he attributes to environmental campaigners as "the Litany", views which he also claims to have held, and his book purports to correct.

Related Topics:
Political Science - Ph.D - Professor - Statistics - Environmental science - Interview - Greenpeace - Ecological - Julian Simon - ''Wired''

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As a footnote, Lomborg's second book, Global Crises, Global Solutions (Oct. 2004; Cambridge University Press), of which he is the editor, is based on an academic project that he initiated and presided over called the Copenhagen Consensus. It also addresses global problems in a sweeping way, using data analysis and interpretation by a panel of well-known economists. It is also controversial.

Related Topics:
Global Crises, Global Solutions - Oct - 2004 - Editor - Copenhagen Consensus - Economist

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