The World's Best Book Summaries
How does climate change impact the economy? Should this be a major concern? The real cost of climate change will be economic, argues Bjorn Lomborg. He contends that we should stop catastrophizing about the weather, the planet, and our very existence and focus instead on what climate change will do to global GDP. Keep reading to learn about the anticipated economic effects of climate change.
Is universal basic income (UBI) a good idea for ending pointless jobs? Why are pointless jobs harmful? David Graeber wrote Bullshit Jobs to explain how jobs that don’t serve a purpose are not only inefficient, but are also harmful to society and workers. According to him, we can combat the proliferation of pointless jobs in society by introducing a universal basic income program. Read on to learn why universal basic income is a good idea to end pointless jobs, according to Graeber.
Why do we need fossil fuels? What’s the Green Road? Which option is ultimately better for the planet? On a global scale, we can take various paths to combat climate change. Activists say we should reduce emissions by investing in green energy and minimizing fossil fuel usage. Bjorn Lomborg says we should increase reliance on fossil fuels to spark economic growth. Keep reading to learn how fossil fuels could be the surprising solution to climate change.
What promise did countries make with the Paris Agreement? Is the Paris Agreement effective? To spark the green revolution, world leaders took a more concrete approach to climate change via the Paris Agreement. However, Bjorn Lomborg argues that, if the goal is to achieve a meaningful and cost-effective reduction in global temperature, it’s a failure. Continue reading to see how Lomborg comes to this conclusion.
Should we go vegetarian and drive electric cars? Should we stop having children and flying in airplanes? Climate activists exhort us to make individual sacrifices—like eating less meat, flying less often, and turning off unused lights. Bjorn Lomborg argues that these exhortations are flawed: Individual actions on climate change do nearly nothing. Keep reading to see how Lomborg makes this assessment.
How can we adapt to climate change? Can we do something practical about rising sea levels and extreme heat? In False Alarm, Bjorn Lomborg discusses several ways to combat climate change head-on. He realizes, though, that some things are beyond our control. To some extent, we just have to adapt to the realities. Continue reading to learn about some practical adaptations that could help us continue to flourish.
Why can the Netherlands deal with flooding better than Bangladesh can? What’s the connection between economic growth and climate change? Investments in innovation and adaptation lessen the impact of climate change, but many countries lack the funds to make this investment. Consequently, Bjorn Lomborg argues that creating economic growth in poor countries is itself a promising climate policy. Keep reading to see how Lomborg arrives at this conclusion.
What’s a carbon tax? What difference could a global carbon tax make for the economy and the environment? Beyond general strategies to combat climate change, Bjorn Lomborg also endorses specific policies in his book False Alarm. In particular, he argues that we should implement a global carbon tax. Read more to discover the benefits of a carbon tax.
How could we get the most out of solar, wind, and nuclear energy? What can we learn from trees about carbon emissions? What’s geoengineering? In the past, we’ve often solved problems via innovation—developing new approaches rather than relying on old ones. The same is true of climate change. This is the view of Bjorn Lomborg, who argues that we should invest in innovative solutions to climate change. Keep reading to learn about novel approaches to energy storage, nuclear energy, carbon capture technology, and geoengineering.
How does inflation influence the value of bitcoin? Why is bitcoin not affected by inflation? Bitcoin is a very “hard” currency and thus does not lose value due to inflation. According to economist Saifedean Ammous, the “hardness” of money is one of the most important factors determining how good a type of money is. Here’s why the price of bitcoin isn’t affected by inflation.