This was the opinion developed in The Guardian this summer and I have to say that I agree. Even if 100 percent renewable energy by 2050 – or even sooner – seems like the ultimate climate change goal, it will not be enough as the whole Capitalistic system needs an overhaul.
GDP
Annie Leonard presents the Story of Solutions
Annie Leonard, of Story of Stuff fame did it all again and presented another great video on how we have to and can change the world. Called The Story of Solutions, it focuses on changing the end-game of MORE to a one focusing on BETTER.
We have seen it already, working on ever increasing the Gross – gross as in disgusting ? – Domestic Product (aka GDP) simply depletes natural resources to make money.
As a graduate in Management and Business – for hire – this message particularly resonates with me as this blog has shown time and again that the current model simply isn’t working.
2% of global GDP can trigger greener growth
According to the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) : ” Investing two per cent of global GDP into ten key sectors can kick-start a transition towards a low carbon, resource efficient Green Economy “
” The sum, currently amounting to an average of around $1.3 trillion a year (…) would grow the global economy at around the same rate if not higher than those forecast, under current economic models. “
” But without rising risks, shocks, scarcities and crises increasingly inherent in the existing, resource-depleting, high carbon ‘brown’ economy, says the study.”
France seeks alternatives to GDP
Gross Domestic Product, also know as GDP, is not a sustainable indicator. Indeed it only focuses on the economy and makes no mention of societies and environment. So we need alternatives that would take that into account.
This is even more urgent with the current economic downturn. Indeed, even if things are slowly and difficultly getting better, we have an opportunity to change our way of reasoning and embrace a paradigm shift.
This is why the French President – Nicolas Sarkozy – asked the renowned economist and Nobelist Joseph Stiglitz to work on finding another indicator.