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Could billionaires like Elon Musk solve world hunger with a donation? : Planet Money : The Indicator from Planet Money Just 2% of Elon Musk's wealth could supposedly help solve world hunger. But how was this estimate calculated, and is solving this issue as simple as a billionaire writing a check?

The Indicator from Planet Money

Could Elon Musk really solve world hunger?

Could Elon Musk really end world hunger?

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BERLIN, GERMANY DECEMBER 01: SpaceX owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk poses on the red carpet of the Axel Springer Award 2020 on December 01, 2020 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Britta Pedersen-Pool/Getty Images)
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Britta Pedersen-Pool/Getty Images
BERLIN, GERMANY DECEMBER 01: SpaceX owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk poses on the red carpet of the Axel Springer Award 2020 on December 01, 2020 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Britta Pedersen-Pool/Getty Images)
Britta Pedersen-Pool/Getty Images

Earlier this week, CNN reported that the executive director of the United Nations' World Food Programme said 2% of Elon Musk's wealth could solve world hunger.

Unsurprisingly, Musk fired back on Twitter and tweeted, "If WFP can describe on this Twitter thread exactly how $6B will solve world hunger, I will sell Tesla stock right now and do it."

While CNN later clarified that the executive director said billionaires like Musk could help solve world hunger, the online debate hasn't changed much.

On today's show, how is the cost of solving world hunger calculated, and is solving world hunger as simple as a billionaire writing a check? An economist who replied to Musk's tweet has a proposal for him.

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