The alarm about climate change is blinding us to sensible solutions

Bjorn Lomborg is the president of the Copenhagen Consensus Center (‪@CopenhagenConsensus‬ ) a think tank focused on cost effective solutions to the world's biggest problems.
Bjorn is the author of several bestselling books including "The Skeptical Environmentalist", "False Alarm" and recently “Best Things First.”

The electric car industry is elated with an incoming Biden administration because it promises to extend and increase electric car subsidies to fix climate change.

Similarly, leaders across the rich world promise lavish carrots along with sticks to outlaw petrol cars. This week, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030. Unfortunately, electric cars will achieve only tiny emissions savings at a very high price.

As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and the birth of modern environmentalism, we should pause to give each other a virtual high five for the impressive environmental progress society has accomplished during this span. We should also think about the ways we can make the next 50 years far more effective.