Population and the steady-state economy

The steady-state economy is the real – and only – ‘alternative’ development Conventional development argues that growth is the most important factor Yet there are limits to conventional development Key points

Development delusions: ‘trickle down’ Sao Paulo, Brazil

Development delusions: ‘more jobs’

Development delusions: ‘it’s the economy…’ Conventional ‘development’ thinking, Monetarist to Marxist, depreciates the real wealth of nations

Vegetative resources Pollination Mineral resources Waste decomposition Nutrient recycling Stable climate Checks and balances against extremes The real wealth of nations

New deposits of metals and fossil fuels More efficient use of limited resources Nuclear fusion will desalinate water Decrease consumption (population times affluence) Greenhouse skyscrapers for edible plants How can we promote responsible growth?

1)The amount of natural resources we yearly take from nature and; 2)the amount of waste we put back into it i.e., inputs into production and outputs from consumption, in biophysical terms, whose sum is called throughput steady input amounts of water, biomass, animals; steady output amounts of gases, unhealthy water, degraded soil… And: metals, oil, coal, uranium What should remain steady in a ‘steady- state’ economy?

Throughput = input + output

Steady State Economy policy recommendations 1.Stabilise population 2.Cap-auction trade basic resources 3.Eco-tax reform 4.No fractional reserve banking 5.Reform national accounts (replace GDP) Main tool to shrink to an SSE: Physically-defined caps on resources: Litres of fossil fuel, number of fish, litres of aquifier water CASSE: Centre for the Advancement of the Steady-State Economy

Sustainable Development policies Population in balance with carrying capacity at all levels Steady stock of artefacts i.e. physical goods and services in sustainable equilibrium with ‘sources’ and ‘sinks’ ‘Conserver’ technology: focusing on reduction of resource ‘inputs’ rather than outputs (‘end-of-pipe’ pollution control etc.) Tax resources, not labour Ecological land use planning: ‘design with nature’

Sustainable Development policies Renting and borrowing not owning Full cost pricing End to ‘corporate welfare’ and ‘perverse subsidies’ End to debt-based money supply Break up of over-big firms – public ownership of key utilities ‘Green licenses for businesses Ceilings on land ownership Time management Limits to differentials within society, nationally and globally

Sustainable Development