The relationship between man and nature seems highly diverse during the evolving process of human society. Numerous destructive consequences incurring from the carly stage of the industrialization led to man＇s severe...The relationship between man and nature seems highly diverse during the evolving process of human society. Numerous destructive consequences incurring from the carly stage of the industrialization led to man＇s severe concern about ecological and environment issues. In 1972, a book entitled “The Limits To Growth” ushered in a worldwide argumentation campaign, and forced man to realize that the bearing capacity of ecological surroundings is finite, and the quantity of resources is numbered as well. Admittedly, the human advance in science and technology, from the long-term viewpoint, is capable of discovering new types of energy and resources. However, each specific period of human history is always endangered due to the crisis of energy and resources. Therefore the core of the retainable development lies in variation of the outdated pattern of economic growth as well as pursuit to the new substitutes.展开更多
The current model of economic growth generated unprecedented increases in human wealth and prosperity during the 19th and 2Oth centuries. The main mechanisms have been the rapid pace of technological and social innova...The current model of economic growth generated unprecedented increases in human wealth and prosperity during the 19th and 2Oth centuries. The main mechanisms have been the rapid pace of technological and social innovation, human capital accumulation, and the conversion of resources and natural capital into more valuable forms of produced capital. However, there is evidence emerging that this model may be approaching environmental limits and planetary boundaries, and that the conversion of natural capital needs to slow down rapidly and then be reversed Some commentators have asserted that in order for this to occur, we will need to stop growing altogether and, instead, seek prosperity without growth. Others argue that environmental concerns are low-priority luxuries to be contemplated once global growth has properly returned to levels observed prior to the 2008 financial crisis. A third group argues that there is no trade-off and, instead,, promotes green growth： the （politically appealing） idea is that we can simultaneously grow and address our environmental problems. This paper provides a critical perspective on this debate and suggests that asubstantial researc＇h agenda is required to come to grips with these challenges. One place to start is with the relevant metrics： measures of per-capitawealth, and, eventually, quantitative measures of prosperity, alongside a dashboard of other sustainability indicators. A public andpoliticalfocus on wealth （a stock）, and its annual changes, could realistically complement the current focus on market-based gross output as measured by GDP （a flow）. This could have important policy implications, but deeper changes to governance and business models will be required.展开更多
基金the National Social Science Foundation of China (No. 01BJ037). Part achievement of the Project "Study on the Economic Development & Resources Bearing Capacity in West China".
文摘The relationship between man and nature seems highly diverse during the evolving process of human society. Numerous destructive consequences incurring from the carly stage of the industrialization led to man＇s severe concern about ecological and environment issues. In 1972, a book entitled “The Limits To Growth” ushered in a worldwide argumentation campaign, and forced man to realize that the bearing capacity of ecological surroundings is finite, and the quantity of resources is numbered as well. Admittedly, the human advance in science and technology, from the long-term viewpoint, is capable of discovering new types of energy and resources. However, each specific period of human history is always endangered due to the crisis of energy and resources. Therefore the core of the retainable development lies in variation of the outdated pattern of economic growth as well as pursuit to the new substitutes.
基金the Institute for New Economic Thinking for supportthe Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environmentthe UK Economic and Social Research Council(ESRC) through the Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy
文摘The current model of economic growth generated unprecedented increases in human wealth and prosperity during the 19th and 2Oth centuries. The main mechanisms have been the rapid pace of technological and social innovation, human capital accumulation, and the conversion of resources and natural capital into more valuable forms of produced capital. However, there is evidence emerging that this model may be approaching environmental limits and planetary boundaries, and that the conversion of natural capital needs to slow down rapidly and then be reversed Some commentators have asserted that in order for this to occur, we will need to stop growing altogether and, instead, seek prosperity without growth. Others argue that environmental concerns are low-priority luxuries to be contemplated once global growth has properly returned to levels observed prior to the 2008 financial crisis. A third group argues that there is no trade-off and, instead,, promotes green growth： the （politically appealing） idea is that we can simultaneously grow and address our environmental problems. This paper provides a critical perspective on this debate and suggests that asubstantial researc＇h agenda is required to come to grips with these challenges. One place to start is with the relevant metrics： measures of per-capitawealth, and, eventually, quantitative measures of prosperity, alongside a dashboard of other sustainability indicators. A public andpoliticalfocus on wealth （a stock）, and its annual changes, could realistically complement the current focus on market-based gross output as measured by GDP （a flow）. This could have important policy implications, but deeper changes to governance and business models will be required.
