'Prosperity without growth' sees that while relative 'decoupling' (reducing the input of resources including energy which goes into each unit of production) is essential as we move into the future, that is only part of the story. 'Absolute' decoupling is also seen as necessary if we are to avoid catastophic climate change and complete exhaustion of the resources which we currently see as essential to our way of life.
'Absolute' decoupling refers to connection the between the total global input of resources & carbon emissions in relation to economic growth in the world. This gets a bit complicated but am going to keep my head down ...
The projected world population of around 9bn by 2050 will all be demanding their share of the world's resources. As the emerging economies build their infrastructures and try to take on the Western lifestyle they have been sold is the best, there is a massive rise in the demand for resources. No technical fixing of the input of resources and output of carbon per unit produced is going to make 'business as usual' an option ... a fair share of the cake is not possible ... the cake isn't big enough ... the technical fix is not the way forward!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Good to have your feedback. Thanks for commenting.