Free Argumentative Essay On Diseases, Hunger, And Climate Change: Which Should Be Prioritized

As the world is confronted with huge problems ranging from diseases, hunger, malnutrition, war, natural catastrophes, and an unstable global market, the question of which among these issues must we prioritize looms. Bjorn Lomborg, in his TED Talks discussion in February 2005 and posted in January 2007, claims that this list of issues that besets the world should be further trimmed down so that money allotted for less important issues will be put to good use, instead of being wasted on projects that will not produce immediate results. Lomborg’s stance is that we should focus on issues that can provide solutions to problems now, instead of wasting money on problems that can produce a small amount of good now. For instance, he cites putting efforts more on the prevention of diseases rather than on treatment as he concedes that treatment, such as in the case of HIV/AIDS patients, is much more expensive than prevention. He says that investing huge amounts of money on efforts to combat malaria could bring down the number of sufferers from a million possible infections a year to just half of it, and thus, save thousands of lives in the process. He also asserts that by solving malnutrition and providing food rich in vitamins, zinc, iron, and iodine, among others, can help state of malnutrition in Third World countries. He also mentions that through free trade, the world would be a global marketplace that could help improve the economies of the poorer nations. Finally, he asserts that come 2100, countries such as Bangladesh would be a richer nation that it is today.
Unfortunately, I disagree with Lomborg’s arguments. The problem with his claims is that everything is taken in the economic perspective only without regard to the effects of his prescribed solutions on society and the environment. Climate change should not be set aside just basing on which of the choices will produce better results now. If climate change is not addressed, there won’t be a rich Bangladesh nation to speak of in 2100 because right now, nature is speaking through natural catastrophes experienced in different parts of the world – flooding, drought, earthquakes, tsunamis – all brought about by climate change and other environmental issues. The recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan should open everyone’s eyes that nature is already reacting to what man is doing to the environment. How about reports claiming below zero temperatures in hot and tropical countries? These are abnormal reactions of nature that signify changes in the composition of the environment.
When it comes to feeding the world and ensuring that everyone, including those in the Third World countries, is fed properly, this can only be done if everyone drastically changes the way food is produced. However, doing so would pose harm not only in the health of people who are otherwise healthy, but to the environment as well because scientists will have to use technology that would change the natural components of food and the method of planting rice and crops in order to increase production. Adhering to this method may help feed the world, but it will again introduce new types of illnesses and diseases.
Instead of looking at the issue only at the economic paradigm of choosing which will provide the immediate solutions to issues, the best approach is to work on these issues simultaneously considering that all of them are interrelated to one another. Not focusing on climate change affects other aspects of living, be it health, economic, cultural, or societal. Thus, even if we address the problems on malnutrition, diseases, and free trade, the issues on climate change persists and will continue to wreak havoc to human lives.