How science and protecting the long terms sustainability of our environment?
is linked to politics and economics in a global economy?
anyone have anything to say on the topic???
Sustainability interfaces with economics through the social and ecological consequences of economic activity.[151] Sustainability economics represents: "… a broad interpretation of ecological economics where environmental and ecological variables and issues are basic but part of a multidimensional perspective. Social, cultural, health-related and monetary/financial aspects have to be integrated into the analysis."[152] At present the average per capita consumption of people in the developing world is sustainable but population numbers are increasing and individuals are aspiring to high consumption Western lifestyles. The developed world population is only increasing slightly but consumption levels are unsustainable. The challenge for sustainability is to curb and manage Western consumption while raising the standard of living of the developing world without increasing its resource use and environmental impact. This must be done by using strategies and technology that break the link between, on the one hand, economic growth and on the other, environmental damage and resource depletion.[153]
In addressing this issue several key areas have been targeted for economic analysis and reform: the environmental effects of unconstrained economic growth; the consequences of nature being treated as an economic externality; and the possibility of a more ethical economics that takes greater account of the social and environmental consequences of market behaviour.[154]
[edit] Decoupling environmental degradation and economic growth
Further information: Ecological economics
International Recycle SymbolIn the second half of the 20th century world population doubled, food production tripled, energy use quadrupled, and overall economic activity quintupled.[155] Historically there has been a close correlation between economic growth and environmental degradation: as communities grow, so the environment declines. This trend is clearly demonstrated on graphs of human population numbers, economic growth, and environmental indicators.[156] Unsustainable economic growth has been starkly compared to the malignant growth of a cancer[157] because it eats away at the Earth’s ecosystem services which are its life-support system. There is concern that, unless resource use is checked, modern global civilization will follow the path of ancient civilizations that collapsed through overexploitation of their resource base.[158][159] While conventional economics is concerned largely with economic growth and the efficient allocation of resources, ecological economics has the explicit goal of sustainable scale (rather than continual growth), fair distribution and efficient allocation, in that order.[160][161] The World Business Council for Sustainable Development states that "business cannot succeed in societies that fail".[162] Sustainability studies analyse ways to reduce (decouple) the amount of resource (e.g. water, energy, or materials) needed for the production, consumption and disposal of a unit of good or service whether this be achieved from improved economic management, product design, new technology etc. [163] Ecological economics includes the study of societal metabolism, the throughput of resources that enter and exit the economic system in relation to environmental quality.[164][165]
[edit] Nature as an economic externality
Economics & sustainability
Key concepts[show]
Bioeconomics · Carbon finance
Corporate social responsibility
Ecological economics
Ecotax · Energy accounting
Energy economics · Environmental economics
Environmental finance
Environmental pricing reform
Ethical banking · Ethical investing
Ethical consumerism · Fair trade
Financial capital · Fiscal environmentalism
Gift economy · Human capital ·
Local currency · Local currency
Local Exchange Trading Systems
Natural capital · Natural economy
Natural resource economics
Sustainopreneurship · Social capital
Thermoeconomics
Further information: Ecosystem services
The economic importance of nature is indicated by the use of the expression ecosystem services to highlight the market relevance of an increasingly scarce natural world that can no longer be regarded as both unlimited and free.[166] In general as a commodity or service becomes more scarce the price increases and this acts as a restraint that encourages frugality, technical innovation and alternative products. However, this only applies when the product or service falls within the market system.[167] As ecosystem services are generally treated as economic externalities they are unpriced and therefore overused and degraded, a situation sometimes referred to as the Tragedy of the Commons.[166]
Part of the business of protecting the biological world has been the "internalisation" of these "externalities" using market strategies like ecotaxes and incentives, tradeable permits for carbon, water and nitrogen use etc., and an increasing willingness to accept payment for
Sustainability interfaces with economics through the social and ecological consequences of economic activity.[151] Sustainability economics represents: "… a broad interpretation of ecological economics where environmental and ecological variables and issues are basic but part of a multidimensional perspective. Social, cultural, health-related and monetary/financial aspects have to be integrated into the analysis."[152] At present the average per capita consumption of people in the developing world is sustainable but population numbers are increasing and individuals are aspiring to high consumption Western lifestyles. The developed world population is only increasing slightly but consumption levels are unsustainable. The challenge for sustainability is to curb and manage Western consumption while raising the standard of living of the developing world without increasing its resource use and environmental impact. This must be done by using strategies and technology that break the link between, on the one hand, economic growth and on the other, environmental damage and resource depletion.[153]
In addressing this issue several key areas have been targeted for economic analysis and reform: the environmental effects of unconstrained economic growth; the consequences of nature being treated as an economic externality; and the possibility of a more ethical economics that takes greater account of the social and environmental consequences of market behaviour.[154]
[edit] Decoupling environmental degradation and economic growth
Further information: Ecological economics
International Recycle SymbolIn the second half of the 20th century world population doubled, food production tripled, energy use quadrupled, and overall economic activity quintupled.[155] Historically there has been a close correlation between economic growth and environmental degradation: as communities grow, so the environment declines. This trend is clearly demonstrated on graphs of human population numbers, economic growth, and environmental indicators.[156] Unsustainable economic growth has been starkly compared to the malignant growth of a cancer[157] because it eats away at the Earth’s ecosystem services which are its life-support system. There is concern that, unless resource use is checked, modern global civilization will follow the path of ancient civilizations that collapsed through overexploitation of their resource base.[158][159] While conventional economics is concerned largely with economic growth and the efficient allocation of resources, ecological economics has the explicit goal of sustainable scale (rather than continual growth), fair distribution and efficient allocation, in that order.[160][161] The World Business Council for Sustainable Development states that "business cannot succeed in societies that fail".[162] Sustainability studies analyse ways to reduce (decouple) the amount of resource (e.g. water, energy, or materials) needed for the production, consumption and disposal of a unit of good or service whether this be achieved from improved economic management, product design, new technology etc. [163] Ecological economics includes the study of societal metabolism, the throughput of resources that enter and exit the economic system in relation to environmental quality.[164][165]
[edit] Nature as an economic externality
Economics & sustainability
Key concepts[show]
Bioeconomics · Carbon finance
Corporate social responsibility
Ecological economics
Ecotax · Energy accounting
Energy economics · Environmental economics
Environmental finance
Environmental pricing reform
Ethical banking · Ethical investing
Ethical consumerism · Fair trade
Financial capital · Fiscal environmentalism
Gift economy · Human capital ·
Local currency · Local currency
Local Exchange Trading Systems
Natural capital · Natural economy
Natural resource economics
Sustainopreneurship · Social capital
Thermoeconomics
Further information: Ecosystem services
The economic importance of nature is indicated by the use of the expression ecosystem services to highlight the market relevance of an increasingly scarce natural world that can no longer be regarded as both unlimited and free.[166] In general as a commodity or service becomes more scarce the price increases and this acts as a restraint that encourages frugality, technical innovation and alternative products. However, this only applies when the product or service falls within the market system.[167] As ecosystem services are generally treated as economic externalities they are unpriced and therefore overused and degraded, a situation sometimes referred to as the Tragedy of the Commons.[166]
Part of the business of protecting the biological world has been the "internalisation" of these "externalities" using market strategies like ecotaxes and incentives, tradeable permits for carbon, water and nitrogen use etc., and an increasing willingness to accept payment for
References :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_sustainability