Chris Hoffman, Boulder Daily Camera, February 27th, 2026

In his recent column, Bjorn Lomborg says, “the global retreat from climate alarmism is a good thing.” There are two problems with this assertion: (1) There has not been a retreat; and (2) saying so, and saying that it’s “a good thing,” is not helpful.

About the “retreat” assertion: The Yale Program on Climate Change Communications has been studying opinions about climate change for over a decade. According to the Yale Program: “Over the past ten years, the Alarmed have grown more than any other audience, from 11% in 2015 to 25% in 2025 (+14 percentage points). Overall, Americans are becoming more worried about global warming, more engaged with the issue, and more supportive of climate solutions.”   

Lomborg advances a lot of points that amount to cherry picking. Here’s what the London School of Economics has to say about his work: “Dr Lomborg provides a masterclass in the use of inaccurate and misleading sources to construct a bogus narrative.”

Finally, Bjorn Lomborg’s words are not helpful. In 2026, with climate-change-supersized floods, fires, droughts and hurricanes evident to all, we don’t have time for any more distractions from merchants of doubt. Exxon and other fossil fuel companies have been running the distraction play for almost half a century. The Keeling Curve keeps rising. It’s time to move on to solutions. And solutions exist … technical solutions such as solar energy, and policy solutions like a carbon tax that rebates money to households and boosts the economy. 

I know that everyone has a lot on their minds right now, given the current political climate. But the physical climate that we depend on is a matter of physics and chemistry and won’t wait for us to calm down. Later is too late. Contact your local, state, and national legislators and demand meaningful climate action.

Chris Hoffman, Boulder