Much of the world was optimistic after a peace deal ended months of conflict in the Middle East that had disrupted the global oil trade. But peace in that region has long been tenuous, and how long it will last is anybody’s guess. Nonetheless, there are other reasons for optimism that are not subject to the vagaries of geopolitics.
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For the past two decades, the media have reported a “climate crisis” with a conviction that presumed dissent to be insane, if not immoral. Yet the very atmospheric changes over which reporters warned of impending doom are, in fact, delivering measurable benefits.
History and Evidence Ignored
For most of human existence, weather ruled daily life. A cold winter or a run of poor harvests could wipe out an entire village. Infectious diseases swept through communities unchecked. There were no vaccines, no antibiotics, and very limited capacity to move food and resources over long distances. Access to energy was limited to muscle power, wood, and a small amount of wind or water power. Life expectancy in many regions hovered around 30 years.
Compare that with the 21st century. Global life expectancy has more than doubled over the past two centuries and now exceeds 70 years. This was unimaginable in the 19th century, when Earth was slightly cooler but daily life far harsher.
The per capita food supply has climbed substantially while the population has soared. Protein availability has increased by roughly one-third. Rates of undernourishment have fallen even as billions of people have been added to the global population.
Earth is not a fragile planet on the edge of collapse. Instead, its dominant species has learned to produce more food on less land, in part because crops grow faster and yield more fruit, grains, and vegetables. This abundance is the product of modern agronomy, beneficial warmth, and an atmosphere enriched by industrial emissions of carbon dioxide, or CO₂.
Yes, increased atmospheric CO₂ acts as a natural fertilizer for plants. This reflects basic science: plants require CO₂, water, and sunlight. Satellite observations over recent decades show measurable global greening, with vegetation density increasing in many regions, including India and China, the world’s two most populous countries.
Natural disasters are another subject that often draws news coverage bordering on hysteria, while the steady progress made through technology and engineering to protect human life goes largely unnoticed. Deaths from natural disasters have declined dramatically over the past several decades.
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Similarly, unsafe water once claimed vast numbers of lives through diarrheal diseases and other infections. The share of deaths attributed to unsafe water has fallen dramatically, as have the associated mortality rates. Death rates from infectious diseases have also declined sharply.
The media obsess endlessly over summer heat waves while overlooking what the author argues is the greater threat posed by cold weather. A comprehensive study of temperature-related deaths found that cold-related mortality exceeds heat-related mortality across nearly every region.
As a wildlife enthusiast, I am often surprised that the recovery of many animal species receives so little public attention. India’s tiger population has more than doubled and now exceeds 3,600 animals, representing about three-quarters of the global total. Humpback whale populations, once reduced by more than 95%, have rebounded strongly, with several distinct population segments now matching their pre-exploitation abundance. Polar bear populations worldwide are estimated at between 23,000 and 26,000, with multiple subpopulations stable or increasing after heavy hunting pressure eased.
Look at the Bigger Picture
The narrative of a world racing toward collapse is difficult to reconcile with longer life expectancy, increased food production, notable wildlife recoveries, and fewer deaths from infectious diseases, unsafe water, and natural disasters.
Climate change exists alongside a story of human adaptation powered by abundant energy, technological innovation, a modestly warmer climate and CO₂-enhanced plant growth. A fair-minded observer might ask why this broader story is so often absent from mainstream news coverage.
Though far from utopia, the world of 2026 is characterized by conditions that support human flourishing more than ever before. It is cleaner, healthier, better fed, and safer than at any other point in history.
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