The world is failing on its development promises. These are known as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), agreed by all governments in 2015 to be achieved by 2030.

 As surely as temperatures rise during the summer, climate alarmism serves up more stories of life-threatening heat domes, apocalyptic fires and biblical floods, all blamed squarely on global warming.

The meaningful exchange of truly diverse ideas and perspectives has withered over recent decades.

Corruption is an enormous, global challenge, likely costing more than $1 trillion annually, or $120 for every person in the world. World leaders have long promised to tamp down on corruption, but unfortunately, we are getting nowhere.

Most people think of malaria as a problem faced only by humid, hot countries.

One thing that taxpayers and politicians agree on practically everywhere is that more money should be spent on children’s education. This seems like a no-brainer: Better education means kids get a better start in life. But we need to be careful.

 If politicians were truly serious about ending global inequality, many economists would say there is one obvious policy: Allow greater global migration. A nurse is paid about $1,900 a year in poor countries and about $32,000 in rich countries.

Most people in the developed world do not have to worry about losing the right to live where they do. If you have a deed or a rental contract, it is unlikely that someone is going to turn up tomorrow with their own paperwork and kick you out.

Over the course of the 20th century, tobacco smoking killed around 100 million people, most of whom lived in today’s rich countries. However, that picture is changing, and the health burdens of smoking are now moving from high-income to low- and middle-income countries.