Exaggerated environmental claims—a “crying wolf” phenomenon—are counterproductive to environmental protection. They bring about misguided public policies that actively harm economies, especially in developing nations.
Ignoring genuine risks can harm the environment and human welfare, but excessive risk aversion can be just as dangerous. Media sensationalism and political populism are powerful incentives for environmental exaggeration. These are the very institutions that ought to be able to tell the difference, but are often the least qualified to do so. Journalists and politicians with superficial environmental expertise would do well to make skepticism their default response to alarmist activists.
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Read the full, original article: Environmental exaggeration harms emerging economies
