Leading economist to outline blueprint for tackling climate change

Professor Paul Collier, former Director of Development Research at the World Bank and Director of the Centre for the Study of African Economies at the University of Oxford, will give a Gates Distinguished Lecture this evening on an approach to climate change that acknowledges the benefits of industrialisation while addressing the need for alternatives to carbon trading.

Professor Collier is author of the book The Plundered Planet: Why We Must – and How We Can – Manage Nature for Global Prosperity which will be published on 13 May.

It builds on his renowned work on developing countries and the poorest populations, including his award-winning book The Bottom Billion, and outlines a sustainable framework for governments and corporations around the world.

Professor Collier argues that the immediate needs of the world's burgeoning population can be reconciled with a sustainable environmental future and says the solution lies in the proper extraction and stewardship of the world’s natural resources.

In addition to outlining ways that global institutions can better manage the world’s resources, he argues that Europeans need to give up their “irrational fear” of genetic modification, while the US should “put by their misguided environmentalism that leads them to use crop resources for biofuels rather than food”.

Lindsay Chura, external officer of the Gates Scholars Council, which organises the lecture series, said: "Professor Collier’s highly influential work at the intersection of economic development, climate change and natural resource management has far-reaching implications for harnessing economic opportunity in developing countries. We are eager to hear the steps that can be taken on both an individual and societal level to help tackle some of the most important social and environmental challenges of our time."

The lecture is open to the public and will be held in the Queen’s Lecture Theatre, Emmanuel College, from 6.30 to 8pm.