Ending poverty requires more than just providing temporary financial aid. It requires sound policies that bring about growth in the economy and people’s livelihoods. However, implementing such policies is increasingly difficult due to challenges from environmental activists. Not all environmental activism is helpful. Lately, there has been a wave of activism against access to even the most basic energy resources like coal, oil, and gas. This is because fossil fuels are said to be endangering … [Read more...]
BOOK REVIEW: ‘Letter to the American Church’
Like the German church in the 1930s, the American church in the 2020s is culpable for the pending devastation of human life and the collapse of a great nation. Comparisons could not be more compelling as proffered in “Letter to the American Church” by New York Times bestselling author Eric Metaxas. “Letter to the American Church” is a culmination of Mr. Metaxas’ in-depth understanding of the decline and fall of Germany under the Third Reich, especially as seen through the … [Read more...]
The 2022 Heatwave
The US Environmental Protection Agency publishes information in graphical form (see below) purporting to show a steady increase in records relating to heat waves as having occurred from 1960 to present. But the untold story is what happened during earlier portions of the 20th Century that preceded that date. EPA's graphs mislead the reader into believing that a calamitous rise in temperature may be about to unfold. It is untrue. Of the 50 all-time high temperature records for the individual … [Read more...]
Alex Newman Explains UN Agenda 2030 Behind Farming Restrictions
The following is a guest article by Ella Kietlinska and Joshua Philipp The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for sustainable development informs government policies to restrict farming and transform the food systems in different parts of the world, said Alex Newman, an award-winning international journalist who has covered this issue for over a decade. The 2030 Agenda is a plan of action devised by the United Nations (U.N.) to achieve 17 sustainable development goals (SDG). The goals … [Read more...]
Europe’s Heat Wave That Wasn’t
London & Europe Hit Record-TempsThis past week, London achieved a record temperature of 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Not to diminish the record temperature, but some perspective is clearly needed on this UK heat wave as the climate crowd continues to catastrophize.The Heat Wave of 1911In 1911, trees shed their leaves, grass turned to dust, and cows' milk dried up. As the New England Historical Society recounts it, The 1911 Heat Wave Was So Deadly It Drove People Insane. Temps hit scorching … [Read more...]
The Koonin-Dessler Debate
Update: You may be able to watch the debate on Youtube around August 24th, the link that worked for a short time has been taken down. The debate I announced here between Steve Koonin and Andy Dessler took place Monday, August 15th, it was very educational and illuminating. I will try and write more about it in a few days. In short Andy Dessler said that economic models suggest that climate change is negative for human civilization and not positive at all. But he avoided putting … [Read more...]
How to Alleviate the Looming Global Hunger Crisis
Guest author Dr. Bjorn Lomborg is president of the Copenhagen Consensus Center, visiting professor at Copenhagen Business School, and a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution. A global food crisis is looming, so policymakers everywhere need to think hard about how to make food cheaper and more plentiful. That requires making a commitment to producing more fertilizer and better seeds, maximizing the potential offered by genetic modification, and abandoning the rich world’s obsession … [Read more...]
Recovering the Moral Foundations of Economics
Editor's note: This piece was originally published by the Acton Institute over a decade ago. Many years later, this piece still provides a poignant reflection on economics, socialism, environmentalism, and Christian ethics. During the summer of 1980, I met weekly for breakfast, prayer, and study with a minister friend of mine. A warm-hearted, intelligent man, Bob Hager kept challenging me to broaden my interest from the biblical studies, theology, and apologetics that were my great loves … [Read more...]
Electric Cars Are Not Ready for Showtime
It seems that no one can ever do quite enough to satisfy the demands of professional complainers. Not even Elon Musk, a world-famous promoter of electric vehicles. He was met rudely by protesters at the grand opening of his Tesla assembly plant, just outside Berlin, during recent ceremonies: "...it [the plant] has faced opposition and some environmental activists blocked the factory’s entrance while displaying banners flagging its high water use…” All said and done, it should … [Read more...]
Environmental regulations can sometimes do more harm than good
Contrary to popular perceptions, all around the world, environmental conditions have improved dramatically in recent decades. There is less air pollution and more widespread access to clean water than ever before. Anyone who wants to learn more about this astounding progress should read Stephen Pinker’s Enlightenment Now and Hans Rosling’s Factfulness. These environmental performance gains are largely due to the global spread of economic freedom, because – as numerous studies show – … [Read more...]