Comments on: It’s the Economy, Stupid http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/business/its-the-economy-stupid/756 for environmentalists who don't take themselves too seriously Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:32:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Dave Gardner http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/business/its-the-economy-stupid/756/comment-page-1#comment-16652 Dave Gardner Mon, 04 Feb 2008 13:49:04 +0000 http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/business/its-the-economy-stupid/756#comment-16652 Because population times per-capita resource intensity equals our impact on the planet, population growth multiplies the effect of economic growth. So I'd put population growth and economic growth side by side on the target range. In fact, population growth is one of the more foolish metrics many regions look at when evaluating the health of their economies. Some nations today offer financial incentives to boost declining fertility rates - out of concern their economy will decline. If we don't wise up about this, UN projections of population leveling off (at a very unsustainable level, mind you) could be proven wrong. Dave Gardner Producer/Director Hooked on Growth: Our Misguided Quest for Prosperity www.growthbusters.com Because population times per-capita resource intensity equals our impact on the planet, population growth multiplies the effect of economic growth. So I’d put population growth and economic growth side by side on the target range. In fact, population growth is one of the more foolish metrics many regions look at when evaluating the health of their economies. Some nations today offer financial incentives to boost declining fertility rates – out of concern their economy will decline. If we don’t wise up about this, UN projections of population leveling off (at a very unsustainable level, mind you) could be proven wrong.

Dave Gardner
Producer/Director
Hooked on Growth: Our Misguided Quest for Prosperity
http://www.growthbusters.com

]]> By: Simon Ross http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/business/its-the-economy-stupid/756/comment-page-1#comment-16588 Simon Ross Mon, 04 Feb 2008 06:46:23 +0000 http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/business/its-the-economy-stupid/756#comment-16588 You're so right in seeing population growth and economic growth as both real issues. It's fairly obvious that population number X per capita consumption = resource consumption/ depletion. Currently, they're both rising rapidly and neither are easy to check. The latter particularly, as developing countries are in a massive catch-up effort to reach developed countries' levels. We need to tackle both with urgency: for more see optimumpopulation.org You’re so right in seeing population growth and economic growth as both real issues. It’s fairly obvious that population number X per capita consumption = resource consumption/ depletion. Currently, they’re both rising rapidly and neither are easy to check. The latter particularly, as developing countries are in a massive catch-up effort to reach developed countries’ levels. We need to tackle both with urgency: for more see optimumpopulation.org

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