Solve climate with R&D, not net zero

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks to the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York City on Sept. 23. Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

As world leaders and influencers converge on New York for the UN’s General Assembly and Climate Week, two incompatible visions are about to clash: rich-world elites obsessed with climate change versus developing nations battling poverty, hunger and disease. Unfortunately, even hundreds of trillions of dollars spent on traditional climate policy can only deliver tiny benefits, whereas just billions of dollars of simple, proven policies could transform lives, alleviate poverty, promote health and boost resilience. This chasm is why most of the world often perceives rich virtue-signalling elites as disconnect