Editing The Skeptical Environmentalist (section)

== Contents ==
''The Skeptical Environmentalist'''s subtitle refers to the ''[[State of the World (book series)|State of the World]]'' report, published annually since 1984 by the [[Worldwatch Institute]].<ref name=":2" /> Lomborg designated the report "one of the best-researched and academically most ambitious environmental policy publications," but criticized it for using short-term trends to predict disastrous consequences, in cases where long-term trends would not support the same conclusions.

In establishing its arguments, ''The Skeptical Environmentalist'' examined a wide range of issues in the general area of [[environmental studies]], including [[environmental economics]] and science, and came to a set of conclusions and recommendations. Lomborg's work directly challenged what it framed as "the [[Litany]] of our ever deteriorating environment" by interpreting data from around 3,000 mostly [[secondary source]]s.<ref name=":2" /> The author suggests that [[environmentalist]]s have diverted potentially beneficial resources to less deserving environmental issues in ways that were economically damaging. He portrays his book as an unbiased and scientific refutation of the claims of [[environmental groups]].<ref name=":5">{{Cite news |last=Revkin |first=Andrew C. |date=8 January 2003 |title=Environment And Science: Danes Rebuke A 'Skeptic' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/08/world/environment-and-science-danes-rebuke-a-skeptic.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=3 April 2024 |archive-date=3 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240403192656/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/08/world/environment-and-science-danes-rebuke-a-skeptic.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Much of the book's methodology and integrity have been subject to criticism, which argue that Lomborg distorted the fields of research he covers.<ref name=":9">{{Cite journal |url=http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/admin/publication_files/resourse-1621-2004.18.pdf |title=When scientists politicize science: making sense of controversy over The Skeptical Environmentalist |first=Roger A. |last=Pielke Jr. |author-link=Roger A. Pielke (Jr) |journal=Environmental Science & Policy |volume=7 |pages=405–417 |year=2004 |doi=10.1016/j.envsci.2004.06.004 |issue=5 |bibcode=2004ESPol...7..405P |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006145539/http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/admin/publication_files/resourse-1621-2004.18.pdf |archive-date=2008-10-06}}</ref><ref>[http://www.csicop.org/si/2002-11/environment.html Skeptical About ''The Skeptical Environmentalist''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303124719/http://www.csicop.org/si/2002-11/environment.html |date=3 March 2009 }}, Richard M. Fisher's review of ''The Skeptical Environmentalist'', in "[[The Skeptical Inquirer]]".</ref><ref name="GristSkepticalLook">{{Cite web |title=A skeptical look at The Skeptical Environmentalist |url=https://grist.org/series/a-skeptical-look-at-the-skeptical-environmentalist/ |access-date=2022-09-13 |website=Grist |language=en-us |archive-date=19 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819100819/https://grist.org/series/a-skeptical-look-at-the-skeptical-environmentalist/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

''The Skeptical Environmentalist'' is arranged around four major themes:
# Human [[prosperity]] from an economic and demographic point of view. He argues prosperity, [[life expectancy]], food and [[hunger]] and health have improved over the past centuries in most parts of the world, despite ongoing challenges such as [[HIV/AIDS]]. He dismisses [[Thomas Malthus]]' [[Malthusianism|theory]] that increases in the world's population lead to widespread hunger. 
# Human prosperity from an ecological point of view. Lomborg examines the state of [[natural resource]]s and draws a conclusion that contrasts to that of the well known report ''[[The Limits to Growth]]''. He argues that food is increasing, with the exception of [[Fish as food|fish]] which is depleting. He argues that there is no indication of widespread [[deforestation]], and economic growth is a solution to the issue in developing countries. Lomborg asserts that rare materials and [[Oil depletion|oil]] are not being depleted as fast as is claimed, and that improvements of technology will provide people with [[fossil fuel]]s for years to come. Lomborg says that [[Water conflict|water conflicts]] will not take place because they are not cost-effective, and argues in favour of better [[Water resources|water management]].
# [[Pollution]] as a threat to human prosperity. He connects [[air pollution]] and [[water pollution]] with economic growth, and argues that faster economic growth will reduce their impacts. He also says that fears over [[waste]] are overblown given the percentage of land they can take up.
# Future threats to human prosperity. Lomborg puts forward his main assertion that based on cost-benefit analysis, environmental threats to human prosperity are overstated and policy responses are misguided. He states his view that links between [[pesticide]] use and [[cancer]] are exaggerated and that [[biodiversity loss]] and [[species extinction]] have little impact on human prosperity. On [[global warming]], Lomborg accepts its occurrence but expresses doubts over computer modelling and argues that policy responses such as the [[Kyoto Protocol]] have greater costs than benefits.
Lomborg's main argument is that the vast majority of [[Environmental issues|environmental problems]]—such as [[pollution]], [[Water scarcity|water shortages]], [[deforestation]], and [[Biodiversity loss|species loss]], as well as [[population growth]], [[hunger]], and [[HIV/AIDS|AIDS]]—are area-specific and highly correlated with [[poverty]]. He concludes that challenges to human prosperity are essentially logistical matters, and can be solved largely through [[Economic development|economic]] and [[Social development theory|social development]].