Sure, and my point is not that these gains are meaningless for the people who have e.g. been lifted out of extreme poverty. My point is that having improved or

Sure, and my point is not that these gains are meaningless for the people who have e.g. been lifted out of extreme poverty. My point is that having improved or solved those problems will be for naught if the giganting looming one reverses those gains. Given the enormity of that problem, taking an attitude of “but things are actually getting better!” is either shortsighted or willfully obtuse.