http://www.wwf.org.uk/filelibrary/pdf/weathercocks_report2.pdf
This cutting-edge report by the WWF-UK emphasizes the futility of
the "win-win," growth-and-conservation approach that has dominated
the environmental movement for the past 30 years. Here is one of
the highlights:
"The dominant view among governments is that sustainable consumption
must be pursued through the increased consumption of more
sustainable products, thus preserving the legitimacy of government
pursuit of economic growth, while seeking to reduce the
environmental impact of this. For example, the UK government's
approach to sustainable consumption and production is aimed at
breaking the link between economic growth and environmental
pollution and achieving economic growth whilst respecting
environmental limits."
"But as Tim Jackson points out, "it would be entirely possible, under
this framing of the problem, to have a growing number of ethical and
green consumers buying more and more sustainable products produced by
increasingly efficient production processes, and yet for the
absolute scale of resource consumption and the associated environmental
impacts to continue to grow... Simplistic appeals to reduce material
consumption while maintaining economic growth risk charges of naivety
or even disingenuousness. Indeed, this perspective is supported by
studies on the energy intensivity of economic growth."
As the professional societies take scientifically sound positions,
and the conservation NGOs stand on these positions with educational
campaigns, the public and policy makers will finally reject the
well-heeled but environmentally catastrophic "win-win" rhetoric and
policies. The sooner it all happens, the less biodiversity will be
lost, and the more room will remain for prosperity among nations.
Brian Czech, Ph.D., President
Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy
The CASSE position on economic growth may be e-signed at:
http://www.steadystate.org/CASSEPositionOnEG.html .
