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

Lomborg, a political scientist and economist with a conservative approach to environmentalism, presents a work that's likely to garner as much acclaim and disdain as his first book, 2001's The Skeptical Environmentalist. This "Guide to Global Warming," while thoroughly referenced and convincingly argued, ignores many climate studies and assumes that climate change will continue at a steady rate (not necessarily the case). From this vantage, Lomborg suggests workable solutions beyond "hysteria and headlong spending," proposing a tax on CO2 "at the economically correct level of about two dollars per ton, or maximally fourteen dollars per ton" and that "all nations should commit themselves to spending 0.05 percent of GDP in R&D of noncarbon-emitting energy technologies." Gross simplification, however, leads to misleading generalizations and questionable arguments, such as Lomborg's claim that a reduction in global cold weather-related deaths that outweighs the rising number of heat-related deaths means global warming is good for humanity. Though he argues passionately, Lomborg's efforts seem more about pushing his opponents' buttons than facing honestly the complexities of global climate change.
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“Brimming with useful facts and common sense. . . . [Lomborg presents] a calm analysis of what today’s best science tells us about global warming and its risks. . . . His analysis is smart and refreshing, and it may bridge at least one divide in our too divided culture.” —Kimberley Strassel, Wall Street Journal

“Cool It is a highly valuable contribution to the climate-policy literature. In clear and concise prose, Lomborg diagnoses the problems plaguing contemporary climate policy, injecting a needed tonic of realism and common sense into the climate debate. And for that very reason, it is sure to make Lomborg’s critics hot-under-the-collar.” —Jonathan Adler, National Review

“A reasoned addition to the debate about what to do about climate change. And it is sure to provoke just as much controversy as his last book.” —Esquire

“Bjorn Lomborg is the best-informed and most humane advocate for environmental change in the world today. . . . [He] is only interested in real problems, and he has no patience with media fear-mongering. . . . In the end, his ability to put climate in a global perspective is perhaps the book’s greatest value. Lomborg and Cool It are our best guides to our shared environmental future.” —Michael Crichton, Amazon.com

“Bjorn Lomborg’s rational and compassionate suggestions would save more lives, preserve more wilderness and have a better chance of eventually halting man-made global warming than hysterical catastrophism, global treaties, and high-minded energy rationing. Read this ingenious book.” —Matt Ridley, author of The Origins of Virtue

“Lomborg affirms that the planet is warming, but questions why so much of the policy debate is framed around the idea of imminent catastrophe. This book dares to offer straightforward new thinking about how best to respond. Indispensable.” —Clive Crook, associate editor, Financial Times; senior editor, The Atlantic Monthly

“At last we have a book that puts the hype of global warming into perspective.  Bjorn Lomborg’s eye-opening book, Cool It, examines and meticulously documents climate change’s effects and proposed solutions. An extraordinarily timely and supremely useful book.” —John Naisbitt, author of Megatrends

“Brilliant! A devastating critique of the prevailing climate change hysteria. This book provides an overwhelming case for re-assessing where exactly our policy priorities should lie if we are genuinely concerned with world welfare rather than with making noble—if futile—gestures that, at best, make us feel good but actually do a lot of harm.” —Wilfred Beckerman, professor emeritus of economics, Oxford University