Modon Holding posts AED 2.1bn net profit in H1 2025    Egypt's Electricity Ministry says new power cable for Giza area operational    Egypt exports first high-tech potato seeds to Uzbekistan after opening market    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Italian defence minister discuss Gaza, security cooperation    Egypt's FM discusses Gaza, Nile dam with US senators    Aid airdrops intensify as famine deepens in Gaza amid mounting international criticism    Health minister showcases AI's impact on healthcare at Huawei Cloud Summit    On anti-trafficking day, Egypt's PM calls fight a 'moral and humanitarian duty'    Federal Reserve maintains interest rates    Egypt strengthens healthcare partnerships to enhance maternity, multiple sclerosis, and stroke care    Egypt keeps Gaza aid flowing, total tops 533,000 tons: minister    Indian Embassy to launch cultural festival in Assiut, film fest in Cairo    Egyptian aid convoy heads toward Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens    Culture minister launches national plan to revive film industry, modernise cinematic assets    Sudan's ambassador to Egypt holds reconstruction talks on with Arab League    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi calls for boosting oil & gas investment to ease import burden    Egypt welcomes 25-nation statement urging end to Gaza war    Sisi sends letter to Nigerian president affirming strategic ties    Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    58 days that exposed IMF's contradictions on Egypt    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Europe's biggest protest – but not the world's top priority
Published in Daily News Egypt on 03 - 12 - 2015

There is not one single climate activist in sight here at the climate summit venue in Le Bourget on the outskirts of Paris. Understandably, the area is effectively sealed off, so there is not much of an audience.
While many planned marches have been cancelled for security reasons, there are still many protestors in the media and elsewhere who are passionately pushing those inside the climate talks to push for a more drastic treaty.
Many of these protesters claim to speak in the name of the world's poor. They leave the conference participants – climate negotiators, politicians, bureaucrats, and the world's media – with no doubt that global warming action is the most urgent priority in the world right now.
Except, it is not. The activists here are well-meaning and genuine. But their passions, and the interests of the world's worst-off people, are not the same thing.
When we look at the developing world, we should acknowledge recent progress: tremendous gains to acknowledge in life expectancy, expanded access to education, and lower rates of poverty and hunger. But the world has a very long way to go to improve the quality of people's lives. (Here are 19 phenomenal investments endorsed by Nobel laureates that should be prioritised).
The UN has asked more than 8 million people across the world what policies they most want. Both for the entire world and those living in the poorest countries, climate comes 16th out of 16 choices, after 15 other priorities.
Instead, the world's voiceless clearly tell us their top priorities: Quality education is the top demand, followed by better healthcare, better job opportunities, an honest and responsive government, and affordable, nutritious food.
The expression "first world problems" has become a trite way of dismissing the whines of the privileged. But global warming is indeed a challenge that the developed world cares about much more than the world's worst off.
The activists braving the cold on the streets of Paris may argue that that other problems will be made worse by climate change. Malaria will become more endemic, food will become scarcer, and weather disasters will become worse. This can be true, but the same argument goes for almost all problems: More malaria not only kills but reduces school attendance, affects health systems, erodes economies, and makes everyone more vulnerable to other challenges.
There is great passion here in Paris. But passion on climate issues simply is not what the world's worst-off tell us they want or need.
Bjorn Lomborg is Director of the Copenhagen Consensus Center and Visiting Professor at Copenhagen Business School. He researches the smartest ways to help the world, for which he was named one of Foreign Policy's Top 100 Global Thinkers. His numerous books include The Skeptical Environmentalist, Cool It, How to Spend $75 Billion to Make the World a Better Place and The Nobel Laureates' Guide to the Smartest Targets for the World 2016-2030.


Clic here to read the story from its source.