Climate Change Response: Adaptation or Prevention?

Bjorn Lomborg, author of Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalist's Guide to Global Warming



"There's definitely a global warming problem, and it's one that we need to fix throughout the 21st century, but the problem is what we can do right now is actually fairly little at very high costs."

Mr. Lomborg is certainly not without his critics, but he presents a unique way of thinking about climate change policy.

To me, the most interesting part of the debate with regard to climate change policy is not whether the Earth is warming, or even the causes of warming, but the cost-benefit analysis of the policy choices.

A thought-provoking example provided by Mr. Lomborg is windmills (sometimes he'll use solar panels). A great deal of resources have been invested in constructing very expensive and inefficient windmills. These windmills will have negligible impact on global warming in the long-run. Rather than spend an enormous amount of money building and installing these few expensive and inefficient windmills, wouldn't it be better to spend that money improving the technology so that we can have a far greater number of more efficient windmills?

Further, if we are limited in what can reasonably be done to prevent global warming, should we be preparing to adapt to it instead? I worry greatly about unforeseen consequences, so this decision cannot be taken lightly. But the question of adaptation or prevention should be explored.