Is the economy a zero-sum game? ---chris
Christopher J Wells, Geographer National Wetlands Research Center, USGS 700 Cajundome Blvd Lafayette, LA 70506 Office: 337 266 8651 Cell: 337 288 0737 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Rob Dietz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent by: "Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news" <[email protected]> 12/07/2007 11:02 AM Please respond to Rob Dietz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To [email protected] cc Subject Climate Change and Economic Growth Check out these quotes from Su Wei, a member of the Chinese delegation at the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Bali: "I just wonder whether it's fair to ask developing countries like China to take on binding targets or mandatory targets. I think there is much room for the United States to think whether it's possible to change (its) lifestyle and consumption patterns in order to contribute to the protection of the global climate." "China is in the process of industrialization and there is a need for economic growth to meet the basic needs of the people and fight against poverty." "China is acting. We will do what we should and what we can do. All we care for is the well-being and the future of mankind." Su seems to be advocating that the U.S. and other wealthy nations stop obsessing over economic growth (i.e., move toward a steady state economy), and that poorer nations follow a short-term policy of growth before stabilizing economic conditions. This line of thinking is right in step with the position on economic growth being proposed in ESA. We won?t see much action on abating climate change if we don?t address economic growth around the globe. Thanks, Rob Dietz, Executive Director Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy www.steadystate.org
