The Skeptical Environmentalist: Measuring the Real State ... (ISBN 0521010683)

Book Description:
Challenges widely held beliefs that the environmental situation is getting worse and worse. Making use of the best available statistical information, Lomborg systematically examines a range of major environmental problems that feature prominently in global headline news. His arguments are presented in non-technical, accessible language and are carefully backed up by over 2500 footnotes allowing readers to check sources for themselves. The Skeptical Environmentalist offers readers a non-partisan stocktaking exercises that serves as a useful corrective to the more alarmist accounts favored by campaign groups and the media.

An Intellectually Honest Look at Environmental Impact:
This is a comprehensive and technically precise investigation into many claims of human impact on the environment. The author heavily documents his sources, which allows them to be conveniently cross-referenced for more academically-minded readers. The massive number of citations also suggests how deeply researched this book really is! In terms of readability, this book is very accessible for those with a basic familiarity with data analysis; probably nothing more than an introductory statistics course for humanities students. This is largely required to appreciate the more precise statements in the books and the extensive number of supplementary charts and graphs. This book thoroughly investigates trends of life expectancy, food availability, energy availability, global warming, depletion of forests, depletion of natural water and the like. The general consensus is that although there is usually some truth to many of the more alarming claims out there, any Malthusian prediction of destruction is generally exaggerated. Moreover, the author refutes many commonly exaggerated perceptions about the dangers of nuclear power, DDT and alar. The global warming chapter is a little outdated, largely because the theory that global temperature is largely driven by solar activity was not popularized around the time of this writing. For more information on this particular topic, I recommend either Bjorn Lomborg's book Cool It, Climate Confusion by Roy Spencer or Unstoppable Global Warming: Every 1,500 Years by Fred Singer and Dennis Avery. The latter two books however, have much more of a derisive tone than Bjorn Lomborg's book does. In many respects, the honest and patient tone of Lomborg's volume makes it much more enjoyable to read.

The other side to the story:
This is not a book that denies global warming exists. What this book does is tell how good and bad things are, strictly based on statistics. Lomberg has really put to rest some of the "scary" aspects of global warming in this book.

Suggested Reading for all those who ask "do you support clean water", etc:
I am finding I am not alone in my cynicism of the blind buy-in of "the sky is falling" mentality towards the environment and the now coined "green movement". The author presents a great deal of data to support his thesis but it is well written.

Real science:
The liberals among us won't like this review. Nor will they like the book. But it is what it is. A real scientist shows the scaremongers who exploit the stupidity of the masses for personal gain what we should - and should not - be afraid of. A great read. Wake up, people.

One of the most important books ever written on the environment.:
Probably the most important book ever to be written on the environment, this is a tour de force, a brilliant work, and a masterpiece of careful analysis. The author is a former member of Greenpeace who originally intended to prove the environment was getting worse over time. Much to his surprise, and somewhat reluctantly at first, he discovered just the opposite. Lomborg exposes and criticizes the ways in which many environmental organizations make biased and misleading use of the scientific evidence to suit their own political agendas. He sets the record straight by tracking down and exposing the fabricated claims made by often quoted environmental groups. He also backs his own conclusions with solid scientific evidence, including extensive references.