Economic Growth…Is It The Cause Of Our Environmental Woes?

Each year many economists join the increasing body of their peers who believe that economic growth, as defined by increased through-put of resources, yields an increasing amount of waste and pollution that is forcing us toward global calamity. 

The Earth, after all, is not inexhaustible…it is in fact finite. We have a limited amount of water to sustain life; limited land to grow our food; a limited quantity of resources from which to make things; and limited space in which to store the waste that we create. The Earth is finite…not infinite. 

And it is these facts that drive the Ecological Economists who believe that we must change our cultural and economic direction toward continued growth driven by our markets in our capitalist economic system. We need to limit, even stop growth in its tracks, and in its place we need to promote economic and political processes that will promote excellence that will enhance the quality of life for all while working to meet the sustainable demands or our current and future civilization.

There are two types of Sustainability; Strong and Weak. Strong Sustainability argues and strives for positive action that fully protects the environment and human health. In Strong Sustainability the environment is sustained, and Natural Capital is sustained. In Weak Sustainability economic growth is sustained…you see, in the weak approach Natural Capital can be consumed as long as there is a substitute for it, like manmade capital. 

Which is better? Difficult question. Sustainability is intent on supporting the Environment, the Economy, and Equity…both globally and for future generations. In the strong approach these will be maintained through positive actions that retain and share…while protecting all. In the weak approach resources and species will go away, but there will be other things left to provide for Equity.

Today’s industrial giants and their sponsors in Government fully support economic growth, so how will we reverse this centuries old trend? No answers there… that’s the point. Growth is what our institutions are engaged in, and they are not going to readily give that up. But if they don’t we will not be able to overcome the slippage that we suffer in our current programs, slippage that allows the bypassing of regulations, or the intentional refusal to comply in full by many organizations who deliver more and more pollution to our doorstep with each hour of production.