Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalist's Guide to Global Warming

US: Alfred A. Knopf, 2007. Hardcover. Good/Good. A groundbreaking book that transforms the debate about global warming by of fering a fresh perspective based on human needs as well as environmental co ncerns. Bjorn Lomborg argues that many of the elaborate and expensive actions now b eing considered to stop global warming will cost hundreds of billions of do llars, are often based on emotional rather than strictly scientific assumpt ions, and may very well have little impact on the world's temperature for h undreds of years. Rather than starting with the most radical procedures, Lo mborg argues that we should first focus our resources on more immediate con cerns, such as fighting malaria and HIV/AIDS and assuring and maintaining a safe, fresh water supply-which can be addressed at a fraction of the cost and save millions of lives within our lifetime. He asks why the debate over climate change has stifled rational dialogue and killed meaningful dissent . Lomborg presents us with a second generation of thinking on global warming that believes panic is neither warranted nor a constructive place from which to deal with any of humanity's problems, not just global warming. Cool It promises to be one of the most talked about and influential books of our time.