The Importance of Prosperity

"We cannot take incremental improvement as itself an indication that the risk of catastrophes is at an acceptable level, and it may not," he says. "The nations that have done the most to clean up their environment in the last 10 years are the wealthiest nations because they can afford it." If you're a poor, your first priority is putting food on the table and a roof over your head,. And the fate of the white rhinocerus is pretty low on your list of priorities.