About the Book
In the past five decades there have been many, many forecasts of impending environmental doom. They have universally been proven wrong. Meanwhile, those who have bet on human resourcefulness have almost always been correct.
In his widely praised book Ecoscam, Ronald Bailey strongly countered environmentalist alarmism, using facts to demonstrate just how wildly overstated many claims of impending ecological doom really were. Now, twenty years later, the Reason Magazine science correspondent is back to assess the future of humanity and the global biosphere. Bailey finds, contrary to popular belief, that many present ecological trends are quite positive. Including:
Falling cancer incidence rates in the United States.
The likelihood of a declining world population by mid-century.
The abundant return of agricultural land to nature as the world reaches peak farmland.
A proven link between increases in national wealth and reductions in air and water pollution
Global warming is a problem, but the cost of clean energy could soon fall below that of fossil fuels.
In The End of Doom, Bailey avoids polemics and offers a balanced, fact-based and ultimately hopeful perspective on our current environmental situation. Now isn't that a breath of fresh air?
About the Author :
RONALD BAILEY is the author of Ecoscam and an award-winning science correspondent for Reason magazine and Reason.com where he writes a weekly science and technology column. He is also an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute and has worked as a staff writer at Forbes. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Smithsonian, Reader's Digest and many other publications.
Review :
An impressively researched, voluminously detailed book arguing that the world is in better shape than commonly assumed--Gregg Easterbrook, author of The Progress Paradox "Realclearbooks.com "
In "The End of Doom," Bailey takes on a series of issues that he believes have been vastly misunderstood by the neo-Malthusians and their fellow travelerspopulation, peak oil (and peak commodities more generally), the precautionary principle, worries about a cancer epidemic, genetic modification in agriculture, climate change, and species loss....History has proved these arguments ridiculous and even unethical. Yet, as Bailey shows, latter-day Malthusians are saying the same things.--Roger Pilke Jr., author of The Rightful Place of Science "Realclearbooks.com "
In an often high-decibel debate, Bailey's prose is soft-toned and reasonable. His is a voice that compels attention-and "The End of Doom" a book that provokes fresh thinking.--Rupert Darwall, author of The Age of Global Warming "Realclearbooks.com "
[A] good book and deserves to be widely read--Lord Lawson "The Wall Street Journal "
Bold, opinionated, and unapologetic. The ship isn't sinking, Bailey says, and he has plenty of data to back him up. We can innovate our way to greater growth and environmental renewal. Everyone, right and left, should read this book. It doesn't blur partisan divides on the environment and growth - it obliterates them.--Ramez Naam, author of The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet
Over the last decade, Ron Bailey has become one of the most influential thinkers among a growing group of libertarians and conservatives who love nature and are concerned about the risks posed by climate change. As such, Bailey's thoughtful, evidence-based new book is about more than the end of environmental doom - it's also about the beginning of hope. While conservatives and liberals will never agree on everything when it comes to the environment, they might increasingly agree that the keys to saving more nature in the 21st Century are cities, agricultural intensification, and technological innovation.--Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger "coauthors of An Ecomodernist Manifesto and Break Through: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility ""
Ronald Bailey sets out factually and simply the unassailable, if inconvenient, truth: that if you care for this planet, technological progress and economic enterprise are the best means of saving it.--Matt Ridley, bestselling author of The Rational Optimist
You know that flood of relief you feel when you wake up from a bad dream? This book gives you that feeling seven times, about matters far more serious than whether you're late to the airport. Bailey tracks down the evidence on heavily moralized topics to show that time after time, the prophets of doom play fast and loose with the facts, and play on people's psychological weaknesses. Those who bet against humanity's ability to innovate and improve almost always lose - and hurt others along the way. This book made the scales fall from my eyes, and even changed how I will invest my money.--Jonathan Haidt, New York Times bestselling author of The Righteous Mind
Praise for "Ecoscam "by Ronald Bailey:
Praise for "Ecoscam "by Ronald Bailey: "Bailey explodes shibboleths of the environmental movement in an unsettling, thought-provoking polemic certain to stir controversy." --Publishers Weekly
[A] good book and deserves to be widely read Lord Lawson, "The Wall Street Journal"
An impressively researched, voluminously detailed book arguing that the world is in better shape than commonly assumed Gregg Easterbrook, author of The Progress Paradox, "Realclearbooks.com"
In an often high-decibel debate, Bailey's prose is soft-toned and reasonable. His is a voice that compels attention-and "The End of Doom" a book that provokes fresh thinking. Rupert Darwall, author of The Age of Global Warming, "Realclearbooks.com"
In "The End of Doom," Bailey takes on a series of issues that he believes have been vastly misunderstood by the neo-Malthusians and their fellow travelerspopulation, peak oil (and peak commodities more generally), the precautionary principle, worries about a cancer epidemic, genetic modification in agriculture, climate change, and species loss....History has proved these arguments ridiculous and even unethical. Yet, as Bailey shows, latter-day Malthusians are saying the same things. Roger Pilke Jr., author of The Rightful Place of Science, "Realclearbooks.com"
Ronald Bailey sets out factually and simply the unassailable, if inconvenient, truth: that if you care for this planet, technological progress and economic enterprise are the best means of saving it. Matt Ridley, bestselling author of The Rational Optimist
You know that flood of relief you feel when you wake up from a bad dream? This book gives you that feeling seven times, about matters far more serious than whether you're late to the airport. Bailey tracks down the evidence on heavily moralized topics to show that time after time, the prophets of doom play fast and loose with the facts, and play on people's psychological weaknesses. Those who bet against humanity's ability to innovate and improve almost always lose - and hurt others along the way. This book made the scales fall from my eyes, and even changed how I will invest my money. Jonathan Haidt, New York Times bestselling author of The Righteous Mind
Bold, opinionated, and unapologetic. The ship isn't sinking, Bailey says, and he has plenty of data to back him up. We can innovate our way to greater growth and environmental renewal. Everyone, right and left, should read this book. It doesn't blur partisan divides on the environment and growth - it obliterates them. Ramez Naam, author of The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet
Over the last decade, Ron Bailey has become one of the most influential thinkers among a growing group of libertarians and conservatives who love nature and are concerned about the risks posed by climate change. As such, Bailey's thoughtful, evidence-based new book is about more than the end of environmental doom - it's also about the beginning of hope. While conservatives and liberals will never agree on everything when it comes to the environment, they might increasingly agree that the keys to saving more nature in the 21st Century are cities, agricultural intensification, and technological innovation. Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger, "coauthors of An Ecomodernist Manifesto and Break Through: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility""
