Focus on the means but how?

Comments on Bjorn Lomborg “Focus on the means”, 7/09/2009, http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26035132-5015664,00.html

While the means is obviously important in achieving emissions reduction, Bjorn Lomborg is wrong in arguing that the current approaches/proposals by governments will not be effective. Far from it, they are an important step towards finding the best means to achieve emissions reduction.

Bjorn Lomborg’s argument misses the main point in the international community’s global effort to combat global warming, that is both governments and the private sector will need to play a part.

Bjorn Lomborg argues mainly for governments to set aside research funding for finding the means. Why could that not be achieved through mandatory targets for emissions reduction? That will create price signals and business certainty and incentives to innovate and to find solutions to the challenges in an economic way.

Only by unleashing the innovative power of the private sector can and will the global objective be achieved with the minimum costs.

By relying only on governments, Bjorn Lomborg risks sending mixed signals to the private sector, and generate business uncertainties. That is not the right way to this global important and urgent issue of global warming. In fact it is the wrong approach.

We cannot afford any uncertainties and delaying actions. Bjorn Lomborg should not confuse people, whatever agenda he may have in arguing that way.