Do the best things first
09/06/23
Voter cynicism rises in direct correlation with the largesse of the promise versus the diminutive nature of the delivery.
As voters lose faith in lofty promises, they turn to autocratic leaders who sound more credible.
Instead of soaring speeches at the UN calling for politicians to deliver all the SDGs, Bill Gates and political scientist, Bjorn Lomborg want the world to prioritise the “best things first”. Stop trying to do everything. Thanks to decades of research into what works, Bjorn's Copenhagen Consensus Center can use data to find the best interventions.
In his new book, Best Things First, economists identify twelve policies globally that deliver huge benefits at relatively low costs. They include trade, and simple interventions like spending $5 billion annually to improve conditions around births. These would save around 166,000 mothers and 1.2 million newborns each year. About $5.5 billion spent each year on agricultural research for the poorest farmers would reduce malnutrition, delivering benefits worth $185 billion annually. Another 4 million lives per year could be saved by 2030 through preventing TB and malaria, and immunising more children. Education would improve with more tablets in schools. Strengthening land ownership rights would increase incomes.
Read Josie's column from The Post here.
As voters lose faith in lofty promises, they turn to autocratic leaders who sound more credible.
Instead of soaring speeches at the UN calling for politicians to deliver all the SDGs, Bill Gates and political scientist, Bjorn Lomborg want the world to prioritise the “best things first”. Stop trying to do everything. Thanks to decades of research into what works, Bjorn's Copenhagen Consensus Center can use data to find the best interventions.
In his new book, Best Things First, economists identify twelve policies globally that deliver huge benefits at relatively low costs. They include trade, and simple interventions like spending $5 billion annually to improve conditions around births. These would save around 166,000 mothers and 1.2 million newborns each year. About $5.5 billion spent each year on agricultural research for the poorest farmers would reduce malnutrition, delivering benefits worth $185 billion annually. Another 4 million lives per year could be saved by 2030 through preventing TB and malaria, and immunising more children. Education would improve with more tablets in schools. Strengthening land ownership rights would increase incomes.
Read Josie's column from The Post here.
