Global Problems, Smart Solutions
Global Problems, Smart Solutions
Every four years since 2004, the Copenhagen Consensus Center has organized and hosted a high profile thought experiment about how a hypothetical extra $75 billion of development assistance money might best be spent to solve twelve of the major crises facing the world today. Collated in this specially commissioned book, a group of more than 50 experts make their cases for investment, discussing how to combat problems ranging from armed conflicts, corruption and trade barriers, to natural disasters, hunger, education and climate change. For each case, 'Alternative Perspectives' are also included to provide a critique and make other suggestions for investment. In addition, a panel of senior economists, including four Nobel Laureates, rank the attractiveness of each policy proposal in terms of its anticipated cost-benefit ratio. This thought-provoking book opens up debate, encouraging readers to come up with their own rankings and decide which solutions are smarter than others.
- High-profile thought experiment in which more than 50 of the world's top economists outline the cost and benefits of investment proposals to address global problems ranging from armed conflicts and natural disasters to hunger, education and global warming
- Thought-provoking and engaging text that opens up debate; readers are encouraged to make up their own minds about how to prioritize different solutions, based on economic evidence
- Web based tools are available to help readers create their own Copenhagen Consensus - groups can use the same voting algorithm that the Nobel Laureate Expert Panel used to reach a consensus on what solutions to prioritize
Reviews & endorsements
Praise for the Copenhagen Consensus 2004–2013: 'I have served on four Copenhagen Consensus committees of experts since 2004. All involved hard choices among attractive alternatives to meet crucial objectives for development and health. And the reason I keep serving? I learn so much.' Thomas C. Schelling, Distinguished University Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Maryland, and Nobel Laureate in Economics
Praise for the Copenhagen Consensus 2004–2013: 'The Copenhagen Consensus brings together an impressive roster of minds, and while not everyone agrees with the composition and ordering of Lomborg's priorities lists - climate change tends to rank lower than many stakeholders would like, for example - as a point of departure for discussion, the exercise of priority-setting is a sound one.' Tom Zeller, Jr, The Huffington Post
Praise for the Copenhagen Consensus 2004–2013: '[The] Copenhagen Consensus is an outstanding, visionary idea and deserves global coverage.' The Economist
Praise for the Copenhagen Consensus 2004–2013: 'The selection of zinc supplements by the Copenhagen Consensus as the top global remedy for hunger and malnutrition was one of the main drivers for our $3 million initiative 'Zinc Saves Kids' with UNICEF. We are now expanding this effort to help the 450,000 kids at risk of dying every year, working with the United Nations Foundation, the Gates Foundation and others.' Stephen R. Wilkinson, Executive Director, International Zinc Association
Praise for the Copenhagen Consensus 2004–2013: 'One of the greatest leadership skills discussed in the Global Leadership Forum in Washington DC (October 2012) was the Copenhagen Consensus simulation. This activity was very important because it gave us the opportunity to work together on a key leadership skill: building consensus around difficult issues.' Naglaa Hassab, Humphrey Fellow, MBA student in Economic Development, Finance and Banking, Egypt
Product details
December 2013Paperback
9781107612211
760 pages
246 × 174 × 34 mm
1.5kg
110 b/w illus. 172 tables
Available
Table of Contents
- Introduction Bjørn Lomborg
- Part I. The Solutions:
- 1. Armed conflicts J. Paul Dunne
- 1.1 Alternative perspective Anke Hoeffler
- 1.2 Alternative perspective Andrew Mack
- 2. The challenge of ecosystems and biodiversity Salman Hussain, Anil Markandya, Luke Brander, Alistair McVittie, Rudolf de Groot, Olivier Vardakoulias, Alfred Wagtendonk and Peter H. Verburg
- 2.1 Alternative perspective Juha V. Siikamäki
- 2.2 Alternative perspective John C. Whitehead and Paul E. Chambers
- 3. Chronic disease prevention and control Prabhat Jha, Rachel Nugent, Stéphane Verguet, David Bloom and Ryan Hum
- 3.1 Alternative perspective Julia Fox-Rushby
- 3.2 Alternative perspective Marc Suhrcke
- 4. Climate change: CO2 abatement Richard S. J. Tol
- Technology-led mitigation Isabel Galiana and Christopher Green
- Climate-engineering R&D J. Eric Bickel and Lee Lane
- Climate-change adaptation Francesco Bosello, Carlo Carraro and Enrica De Cian
- 4.1 Alternative perspective Samuel Fankhauser
- 4.2 Alternative perspective Anil Markandya
- 5. Education: the case for improving school quality and student health as a development strategy Peter F. Orazem
- 5.1. Alternative perspective Lant Pritchett
- 5.2 Alternative perspective George Psacharopoulos
- 6. Hunger and malnutrition: investments to reduce hunger and undernutrition John Hoddinott, Mark Rosegrant and Maximo Torero
- 6.1 Alternative perspective Anil B. Deolalikar
- 6.2 Alternative perspective Beatrice Lorge Rogers
- 7. Infectious disease, injury, and reproductive health Dean T. Jamison, Prabhat Jha, Ramanan Laxminarayan and Toby Ord
- 7.1 Alternative perspective Till Bärnighausen, David Bloom and Salal Humair
- 7.2 Alternative perspective David Canning
- 8. Policy options for reducing losses from natural disasters: allocating $75 billion Howard Kunreuther and Erwann Michel-Kerjan
- 8.1 Alternative perspective Stéphane Hallegatte
- 8.2 Alternative perspective Ilan Noy
- 9. Population growth Hans-Peter Kohler
- 9.1 Alternative perspective Oded Galor
- 9.2 Alternative perspective David Lam
- 10. Water and sanitation Frank Rijsberman and Alix Peterson Zwane
- 10.1 Alternative perspective W. Michael Hanemann
- 10.2 Alternative perspective Guy Hutton
- 11. Corruption and policy reform Susan Rose-Ackerman and Rory Truex
- 12. Trade barriers and subsidies: multilateral and regional reform opportunities Kym Anderson
- Part II. Ranking the Opportunities: Expert Panel Ranking Finn E. Kydland, Robert Mundell, Thomas Schelling, Vernon Smith and Nancy Stokey
- Conclusion: making your own prioritisation Bjørn Lomborg
- Index.
