How the economy is killing the planet

bristol | the environment | opinion/analysis Friday October 17, 2008 09:19 by Parky

New scientist feature

THE graphs climbing across these pages (see graph, right, or explore in more detail) are a stark reminder of the crisis facing our planet. Consumption of resources is rising rapidly, biodiversity is plummeting and just about every measure shows humans affecting Earth on a vast scale. Most of us accept the need for a more sustainable way to live, by reducing carbon emissions, developing renewable technology and increasing energy efficiency.

Can this go on for ever?

But are these efforts to save the planet doomed? A growing band of experts are looking at figures like these and arguing that personal carbon virtue and collective environmentalism are futile as long as our economic system is built on the assumption of growth. The science tells us that if we are serious about saving Earth, we must reshape our economy.

This, of course, is economic heresy. Growth to most economists is as essential as the air we breathe: it is, they claim, the only force capable of lifting the poor out of poverty, feeding the world's growing population, meeting the costs of rising public spending and stimulating technological development - not to mention funding increasingly expensive lifestyles. They see no limits to that growth, ever.
More: http://www.newscientist.com/channel/opinion/mg20026786....Earth

There has been some disussion of alternative economic theories on another thread.

In summary
Parecon is the idea of a couple of American academics.
http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/aSGuest633-939...oint/

Some merits of the Parecon system

*It is an effort to develop non-market mechanisms to establish what products to produce in a post-capitalist society.
* It incorporates public participation
* It includes externalities (pollution) in economic decision making

Criticisms of the ideas;

* Some jobs may be interchangeable - but other could never be.
* Over complex and time consuming allocation process
* No real point in planning a post-capitalist future until we get there.
* What is to stop producer units selling 'surplus' production outside the regulated economy and pocketing the profit?
* Doing lot's of jobs will allow less specialisation
* A detailed Anarchist critique http://www.nefac.net/node/1414

In a post capitalist world we will need to decide how to work, and how to allocate resources. What are your ideas on the best way to do that?