Rich countries shouldn't force unreliable wind and solar power on poor nations where alleviating poverty is the priority

By Bjorn Lomborg

Too many rich-world politicians and climate campaigners seem to forget that much of the world remains mired in poverty and hunger. Yet rich countries are increasingly replacing their development aid with climate spending. The World Bank, whose primary goal is to help people out of poverty, has now announced it will divert no less than 45 per cent of its funding toward climate change, shifting some US$40 billion annually away from poverty and hunger.

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Don't have an account? Create Account

It’s easy to treat climate as the world’s priority when your life is comfortable. The 16 per cent of the global population that lives in rich countries doesn’t typically go hungry or watch loved ones die of easily treatable conditions like malaria or tuberculosis. Most are well-educated and their average incomes are in the league of what was once reserved for royalty.

Much of the rest of the world still struggles, however. Across poorer countries, five million children die each year before their fifth birthday and almost a billion people don’t get enough to eat. More than two billion have to cook and keep warm with polluting fuels such as dung and wood, thus shortening their lives. Although most young kids now attend school, low educational quality means........

© Financial Post