Global priorities must be kept in perspective

IN his feature headlined ‘Global warming is not the only hot issue’ (July 4), Bjørn Lomborg appears to have forgotten the old adage, “a stich in time saves nine”.

Focusing funds, as he recommends, on immediate humanitarian relief may indeed give more visible results in the short term, but at what future cost? Increased standards of living, and thus population growth, can only mean an even heavier carbon footprint.

This tactic would also permit the wealthier nations to justify a continuance of their already high energy consumption on the grounds that they are being generous, humanitarian and pragmatic. They would not feel obliged to make the considerable effort needed to change their ways.

The ultimate cost of neglecting global warming is likely to be far greater in both financial and human terms. I am left wondering how Mr Lomborg manages to assess the “far-off future” as likely to be an improvement on the “much worse present”.

Indeed there is little “sense of perspective” in looking at what is under our noses to the neglect of more distant vistas. I am not suggesting that we neglect humanitarian aid, but that perhaps our present concern with climate change may not be such a bad thing after all.

Jill Baird

Doon

Co Limerick