by David Sassoon -
Apr 3rd, 2008 
Yesterday in Part 1 of this series, we explained why American global warming denialists are eager to host Bjorn Lomborg at the New York Yacht Club next week: for he will come peddling his unique brand of inaction called the Copenhagen Consensus. Today, in Part 2, we take a look at the false choice that sits at the core of the Copenhagen Consensus.
The False Choice
On page 44 of his book, you'll find a chart that basically summarizes what the Copenhagen Consensus is, at a single glance. It's a prioritized list of 17 global problems that need attention. #1 on the list is HIV/AIDS. Last on the list is climate change. The chart is titled: "Global priority list for spending extra resources, from the 2004 Copenhagen Consensus." Other things on the list include battling malnutrition, various sanitation and water solutions, malaria control, even trade liberalization.
The list was prioritized by "a panel of top-level economists, including four Nobel laureates." (Note: that's Al Gore times four!) The single criterion they used? How much "good" in the world each dollar spent on each solution does. Thus:
Preventing HIV/AIDS turns out to be the very best investment humanity can make: each dollar spent on condoms and information will do about forty dollars worth of social good.
Does this mean that Bjorn's hosts -- the Manhattan Institute -- together with their fellow right-wing travelers, are now ready to campaign for greater global investments in HIV/AIDS control? Will they be handing out condoms with the Manhattan Institute logo at the Yacht Club breakfast? Unlikely. That's not the positive take-away they are ready to promote.
It is rather, this negative take-away about climate opportunities that they are focused upon selling:
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