Bjørn Lomborg

Bloomberg graphic for millitary spending.

* Sipri estimate. **Figures for Saudi Arabia are for the adopted budget, rather than actual expenditure. Note: Figures are in USD at 2017 prices and exchange rates. Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

Global warming is a problem but we need to get our priorities and policies right. Last week I discussed this and smart polices to tackle global warming on the Young IPA podcast.

Listen to the full interview: http://ow.ly/lwFs30lMZ8g

Vaccination rates in parts of Europe are lower than in some African countries.

Spotty coverage:

If you were in the fortunate position of being able to direct how a large sum of money was spent to improve Haiti’s wellbeing and prosperity, what would you do? When anybody tries to answer this question, all of us encounter the same problem: there is little information on the cost of such interventions and even less on the benefits.

The new book "Haiti Prioritizes: costs and benefits for development solutions" (104 pages) is the result of our collaboration with more than 700 economists, experts, and researchers from Haiti and around the world, to identify and shift attention to the best policies for Haiti, giving its citizens a better chance at a more prosperous future.

Find more information on the publication and more in this month’s newsletter: http://ow.ly/lAU730lMVRX

In India's largest business newspaper, The Economic Times, Prabhat Pani and I argue that companies engaging in corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives should take the same approach to giving as they do to every other aspect of their businesses: pay heed to the evidence and conditions, and seek to maximize returns. Empirical evidence can help them select the smartest investments.

The India Consensus projects are providing the economic evidence that helps governments and corporate givers alike to focus on policies that promise the highest social benefits for each rupee invested. Much can be achieved by focusing on a couple of ideas that economics shows should be prioritized.

Find this article and much more in this month’s newsletter: http://ow.ly/6bwG30lMVM3