Eco-Economy

by Lester R. Brown

Overview

"One of the world's most influential thinkers."—Washington Post

In 1543, Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus challenged the view that the Sun revolved around the Earth, arguing instead that the Earth revolved around the Sun. His paper led to a revolution in thinking—to a new worldview. Eco-Economy discusses the need today for a similar shift in our worldview. The issue now is whether the environment is part of the economy or the economy is part of the environment. Lester R. Brown argues the latter, pointing out that treating the environment as part of the economy has produced an economy that is destroying its natural support systems. Brown notes that if China were to have a car in every garage, American style, it would need 80 million barrels of oil a day—more than the world currently produces. If paper consumption per person in China were to reach the U.S. level, China would need more paper than the world produces. There go the world's forests. If the fossil fuel-based, automobile-centered, throwaway economic model will not work for China, it will not work for the other 3 billion people in the developing world—and it will not work for the rest of the world. But Brown is optimistic as he describes how to restructure the global economy to make it compatible with the Earth's ecosystem so that economic progress can continue. In the new economy, wind farms replace coal mines, hydrogen-powered fuel cells replace internal combustion engines, and cities are designed for people, not cars. Glimpses of the new economy can be seen in the wind farms of Denmark, the solar rooftops of Japan, and the bicycle network of the Netherlands. Eco-Economy is a road map of how to get from here to there.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780393321937
Publisher:	Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.
Publication date:	11/17/2001
Edition description:	1ST
Pages:	354
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Lester R. Brown is the founder of the Earth Policy and Worldwatch Institutes. He has been honored with numerous prizes, including a MacArthur Fellowship, the United Nations Environment Prize, and twenty-five honorary degrees. He lives in Washington, D.C.

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	vii
	Foreword	xv
1.	The Economy and the Earth	3
	Economy Self-Destructing	7
	Lessons from the Past	14
	Learning from China	17
	The Acceleration of History	19
	The Option: Restructure or Decline	21
I.	A Stressed Relationship
2.	Signs of Stress: Climate and Water	27
	Temperature Rising	28
	The Ice Is Melting	30
	Sea Level Rising	34
	More Destructive Storms	37
	Rivers Drained Dry	39
	Falling Water Tables	43
	Facing Water Scarcity	46
3.	Signs of Stress: The Biological Base	49
	Fisheries Collapsing	51
	Forests Shrinking	55
	Rangelands Deteriorating	58
	Soils Eroding	62
	Species Disappearing	68
	Synergies and Surprises	72
II.	The New Economy
4.	The Shape of the Eco-Economy	77
	Ecology Over Economics	78
	A Monumental Undertaking	81
	Restructuring the Economy	83
	New Industries, New Jobs	85
	History's Greatest Investment Opportunity	92
5.	Building the Solar/Hydrogen Economy	97
	The Energy Efficiency Base	99
	Harnessing the Wind	102
	Turning Sunlight into Electricity	107
	Tapping the Earth's Heat	110
	Natural Gas: The Transition Fuel	112
	Getting to the Hydrogen Economy	114
6.	Designing a New Materials Economy	121
	Throwaway Products	123
	Materials and the Environment	126
	The Earth's Toxic Burden	131
	The Role of Recycling	135
	Redesigning the Materials Economy	138
7.	Feeding Everyone Well	145
	A Status Report	147
	Raising Cropland Productivity	150
	Raising Water Productivity	154
	Restructuring the Protein Economy	158
	Eradicating Hunger: A Broad Strategy	163
8.	Protecting Forest Products and Services	169
	Fuel, Lumber, and Paper	170
	Forest Services	172
	Sustainable Forestry	176
	Lightening the Load	178
	The Role of Plantations	181
	Reclaiming the Earth	183
9.	Redesigning Cities for People	187
	An Urbanizing Species	188
	Car-Centered Urban Sprawl	191
	Urbanization and Obesity	195
	Urban Rail and Bicycle Systems	199
	Planning Cities for People	202
III.	Getting from Here to There
10.	Stabilizing Population by Reducing Fertility	211
	Breaking Out or Breaking Down	213
	Africa Breaking Down	217
	Filling the Family Planning Gap	220
	The Role of Female Education	225
	Using Soap Operas and Sitcoms	227
	Stopping at Two	228
11.	Tools for Restructuring the Economy	233
	The Fiscal Steering Wheel	234
	Tax Shifting	236
	Subsidy Shifting	240
	Ecolabeling: Voting with Our Wallets	244
	Tradable Permits	248
	Support for Fiscal Restructuring	249
12.	Accelerating the Transition	253
	United Nations Leadership	255
	New Responsibility of Governments	257
	New Role for the Media	259
	The Corporate Interest	261
	NGOs and Individuals	265
	Crossing the Threshold	269
	Is There Enough Time?	274
	Notes	277
	Index	323

Editorial Reviews

One of the world's most influential thinkers.

Washington Post

Eco-economic theory calls for harmony between our economy and natural resources. Our current, untenable, profit-focused economic model, says Brown (Building a Sustainable Society), depletes forests, oil, farmland, topsoil, water, atmosphere and species beyond a sustainable level. Brown, founding director of the Earth Policy Institute, uses the Sumerians as an antimodel: as the land was overworked, water sources eventually disappeared. And he uses forestry as a counterexample: forests secure land and store water, acting as natural dams. Logging delivers paychecks, but doesn't consider flood damage from tree loss. Eco-economists would say that the logger and the town, while temporarily profiting, pay more in the end in rising insurance costs, flood damage to homes and infrastructure, increased taxes and disaster relief funds. The goal, presented here in convincing detail, is to design a profitable economy that accurately reflects the social cost of abuse of resources. Brown suggests shifting "taxes from income to environmentally destructive activities, such as carbon emissions." Individuals and towns should receive tax breaks for deploying solar and wind-generated power. However receptive to Brown's excellent, sophisticated proposals, many readers will wonder how they can become reality; for eco-economics to work, all world leaders would need to agree on what makes practices environmentally unsound. (Nov. 5) Forecast: In light of the current administration's poor reputation for eco-concern and its withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol, Brown's book will do well among students, activists and the growing environmental movement. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

We are losing the war to save the planet, we need a vision of what an environmentally sustainable economy would look like, and we need a new kind of research organization, says Brown, who is president of Earth Policy Institute. He synthesizes the current issues and data, and invites readers to interact with the Institute for ongoing research and activities. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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