Basic concept of Sustainable Development

Question 1

What is Ecological Footprint?

Answer 1

Ecological Footprint measures how fast we consume resources and generate waste COMPARED TO how fast nature can generate new resources and absorb our waste.

Question 2

Why do we talk about sustainable development ? What finding pushed this idea ?

Answer 2

The think-tank, Club of Rome, ordered a study from the MIT “The limits of Growth”, exposing 5 factors limiting growth:

1. population increase
2. agricultural production and food shortage
3. non renewable resource depletion
4. industrial output
5. pollution generation

Question 3

What lead to the current situation?

Answer 3

The explosion of wealth of the past century has brought more happiness, purchasing porwer and social progress than ever before. However, it also lead to environment externalities!

Question 4

What is K. Polanyi’s point on today’s society ?

Answer 4

“Capitalism has disconnected, transformed society to serve economy, that dominates all our activities, and devours our social relationships with natural environments.”

► Economy is lost in reality !

Question 5

What is an externality?

Answer 5

In economics, an externality is the cost or benefit that affects a party who did not choose to incur that cost or benefit.