Putting a value on nature could set scene for true green economy|

Much environmental damage has been caused by the way we do business. Is there a way of changing our economic models from being part of the problem into part of the solution?

The living fabric of this planet – its ecosystems and biodiversityare in rapid decline worldwide. This is visible and palpable and is variously due to commercial over-exploitation, or population pressures, or a raft of unhelpful policies, or some combination. At a very fundamental human level, however, it is due to the lack of awareness that there is a problem with human society being disconnected from nature.

Economics is blamed for much of our woes these days and credited with little so two questions need to be asked: is economics part of the problem of ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss? And is it part of the solution?

Full Story Putting a value on nature could set scene for true green economy||Pavan Sukhdev | Environment | guardian.co.uk.

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  • Thom’s Blog
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    If we don't change our ways soon...

    A new report by the Royal Society, chaired by Nobel prize-winning biologist Sir John Sulston warns that world population must be stabilized and consumption in wealthy nations must be reduced or the entire planet is in big trouble. As the report reads: "The number of people living on the planet has never been higher, their levels of consumption are unprecedented and vast changes are taking place in the environment. We can choose to rebalance the use of resources to a more egalitarian pattern of consumption... or we can choose to do nothing and to drift into a downward spiral of economic and environmental ills leading to a more unequal and inhospitable future."
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    -Thom
    (Is there any chance we will learn in time? Tell us here.)
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