I read an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal the other day summarizing the findings of the Copenhagen Consensus 2008. It's a panel panel of really smart people, including five Nobel laureates, who got together and weighed more than 40 proposals to improve the world by spending a total of $75 billion over the next four years.
They looked at ten different challenges that included things like air pollution, disease, education, global warming, malnutrition, water and hunger - all major issues. They looked at what the most effective things that could be focused on to help these problems in the world and have the greatest impact.
The answers surprised me. What would do the most good most? Supplements of vitamin A and zinc for malnourished children. Number two? A successful outcome to the Doha Round of global free-trade talks. Global warming mitigation? It ranked 30th, or last, right behind global warming mitigation research and development.
I think it's interesting how free trade and something as simple as has a positive impact on these huge issues that face the world. I'm not saying I'm going to stop recycling my plastic bottles, but I think it's interesting to look at the positive consequences of trade and economic stimulus abroad. Great reminder that the US is far from perfect, but we make the world better by driving free-trade and freedom in a lot ways.
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