Destroy the planet for the sake of the very rich? A plea for fair distribution as common sense

This paper will address from a peculiar point of view the key issue -raised today by Greta Thunberg and her peers- of the unlimited economic growth in a limited planet. It is its aim to point out how a relentless growth, while entailing dramatic ecological consequences in terms both of resources’ consumption/destruction and of climate change, contrary to a common perception does not benefit everybody. In contrast, because of the unequal distribution of GDP and wealth that is largely driven by the legal systems such as politically shaped, it benefits only the very rich. This new understanding should finally lead the vast majority of us to stop asking for an unlimited growth and to join Greta Thunberg in her protest, calling for something different, namely a less unequal redistribution of what we have via different legal rules. Why in fact should we destroy the planet, such as weneed it for our survival, just to make the very wealthy even more affluent?

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Assessing climate impacts on English economic growth (1645–1740): an econometric approach

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-21512 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

José Luis Martinez-Gonzalez

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Economic Growth ◽

Energy Transition ◽

Maunder Minimum ◽

Climate Impacts ◽

Point Of View ◽

Primary Sources ◽

Agricultural Revolution ◽

Econometric Approach ◽

Industrial Economic

British pre-industrial economic growth has traditionally been analysed from the Malthusian point of view and other more optimistic approaches, but in many cases, ignoring environmental factors. This article explores the inclusion of the climate in this general debate, focusing on one of the colder periods of the last 500&#160;years, known as the Maunder Minimum. The provisional results suggest that climate change and the resulting adaptations may have influenced the start of the English Agricultural Revolution, the Energy Transition and the European Divergence. However, from an econometric point of view these results are not fully conclusive, making it necessary to continue working with better primary sources and other alternative methodologies.

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2018 Nobel Economics Prize: Integrating Climate Change Measures into Sustainable Economic Growth

VNU Journal of Science Economics and Business ◽

10.25073/2588-1108/vnueab.4194 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 34 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Nguyen Thi Thuc An ◽

Dau Kieu Ngoc Anh

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Economic Growth ◽

Endogenous Growth ◽

Environmental Issues ◽

Growth Theory ◽

Endogenous Growth Theory ◽

Technological Advances ◽

Academy Of Sciences ◽

Sustainable Economic Growth

The 2018 Nobel Economics Prize was awarded to two American economists - William D. Nordhaus and Paul M. Romer - who designed methods for better assessing environmental issues and technological advances on growth. This year’s Laureates, Nordhaus was the first person to create an intergrated model to assess interactions between society and nature and Romer laid the foundation for what is now called endogenous growth theory. According to the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences, these two macroeconomists’ research have helped “significantly broaden the scope of economic analysis by constructing models that explain how the market economy interacts with nature and knowledge” which integrates climate change measures into long-term sustainable economic growth. Keywords Nobel in economics, William D. Nordhaus, Paul M. Romer, climate change, endogenous growth theory, economic growth References [1] Y Vân (2018), “Lý lịch 'khủng' của hai nhà khoa học vừa giành giải Nobel Kinh tế 2018”, Vietnambiz, đăng tải ngày 08/10/2018, https://vietnambiz.vn/ly-lich-khung-cua-hai-nha-khoa-hoc-vua-gianh-giai-nobel-kinh-te-2018-95776.html[2] Jonas O. Bergman, Rich Miller (2018), “Nordhaus, Romer Win Nobel for Thinking on Climate, Innovation”, đăng tải ngày 8/10/2018, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-08/nordhaus-romer-win-2018-nobel-prize-in-economic-sciences [3] Antonin Pottier (2018), “Giải Nobel” William Nordhaus có thật sự nghiêm túc?”, Nguyễn Đôn Phước dịch, đăng tải ngày 11/10/2018, http://www.phantichkinhte123.com/2018/10/giai-nobel-william-nordhaus-co-that-su.html[4] Thăng Điệp (2018), “Giải Nobel kinh tế 2018 về tay hai người Mỹ”, đăng tải ngày 8/10/2018, http://vneconomy.vn/giai-nobel-kinh-te-2018-ve-tay-hai-nguoi-my-20181008185809239.htm[5] Lars P. Syll (2018), “Cuối cùng - Paul Romer cũng có được giải thưởng Nobel”, Huỳnh Thiện Quốc Việt dịch, đăng tải ngày 14/10/2018, http://www.phantichkinhte123.com/2018/10/cuoi-cung-paul-romer-cung-co-uoc-giai.html[6] Phương Võ (2018), “Nobel Kinh tế 2018: Chạm tới bài toán khó của thời đại”, đăng tải ngày 9/10/2018, https://nld.com.vn/thoi-su-quoc-te/nobel-kinh-te-2018-cham-toi-bai-toan-kho-cua-thoi-dai-20181008221734228.htm[7] Đông Phong (2018), “Nobel Kinh tế cho giải pháp phát triển bền vững và phúc lợi người dân”, đăng tải ngày 8/10/2018, https://news.zing.vn/nobel-kinh-te-cho-giai-phap-phat-trien-ben-vung-va-phuc-loi-nguoi-dan-post882860.html[8] Thanh Trúc (2018), “Giải Nobel kinh tế 2018: Thay đổi tư duy về biến đổi khí hậu”, https://tusach.thuvienkhoahoc.com/wiki/Gi%E1%BA%A3i_Nobel_kinh_t%E1%BA%BF_2018:_Thay_%C4%91%E1%BB%95i_t%C6%B0_duy_v%E1%BB%81_bi%E1%BA%BFn_%C4%91%E1%BB%95i_kh%C3%AD_h%E1%BA%ADu[9] Cẩm Anh (2018), “Nobel kinh tế 2018: Lời giải cho tăng trưởng kinh tế bền vững”, đăng tải ngày 11/10/2018, http://enternews.vn/nobel-kinh-te-2018-loi-giai-cho-tang-truong-kinh-te-ben-vung-137600.html.

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NONSENSE, ABSURDITY AND PARADOX AS LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL CATEGORIES

АГРАРНЫЙ ВЕСТНИК ВЕРХНЕВОЛЖЬЯ ◽

10.35523/2307-5872-2019-28-3-123-126 ◽

2019 ◽

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Function ◽

Common Sense ◽

Point Of View ◽

Ontological Category ◽

Ordinary Meaning ◽

New Meanings ◽

Points Of View ◽

Human Thinking

In the article the analysis of nonsense, absurdity and paradox from the standpoint of linguistics is giv-en. Different points of view on these categories in relation to the meaning are considered. An attempt is made to reveal the commonality and specificity of nonsense, absurdity and paradox. Some researchers consider nonsense and paradox as a kind of absurdity. There is a dichotomous point of view on nonsense as one of the components of absurdity. However, there are works where these categories are differentiat-ed, for example, absurdity is understood as an ontological category, and nonsense as an epistemological category. There is a view of these categories through the allocation of "non-sense", "out-sense" and 136 "counter-sense" there is also a view that in the case of nonsense we are talking about the incompatibility of representations, and in the case of absurdity-the incompatibility of objects. If there are criteria that allow us to consider the presence of this phenomenon as natural, absurdity ceases to exist. Consequently, the view is expressed that nonsense, absurdity and paradox are different categories of thinking. Paradox is a contradiction arising from the presence of two or more common sense. The absurdity can be seen as a" counter-sense» opposing common sense and putting forward the concept of active impossibility of the latter's existence. As for nonsense, it is the meaning of metaphysical level – a meaning that goes beyond the ordinary meaning and creates new meanings. It is concluded that nonsense, absurdity and paradox are independent categories of human thinking, which is a manifestation of the cognitive function of hu-man consciousness.

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Managing African Urbanization in the Context of Environmental Change

INTERdisciplina ◽

10.22201/ceiich.24485705e.2014.2.46528 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Shuaib Lwasa

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Economic Growth ◽

Social Services ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Urban Governance ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

African Countries ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Urbanization Rate ◽

Development And Management

Africa’s urbanization rate has increased steadily over the past three decades and is reported to be faster than in any other region in the world . It is estimated that by 2030, over half of the African population will be living in urban areas . But the nature of Africa’s urbanization and subsequent form of cities is yet to be critically analyzed in the context of city authorities’ readiness to address the challenges . Evidence is also suggesting that urbanization in African countries is increasingly associated with the high economic growth that has been observed in the last two decades . Both underlying and proximate drivers are responsible for the urbanization, and these include population dynamics, economic growth, legislative designation, increasing densities in rural centers, as well as the growth of mega cities such as Lagos, Cairo and Kinshasa, that are extending to form urban corridors . With the opportunities of urbanization in Sub–Saharan Africa, there are also challenges in the development and management of these cities . Those challenges include provision of social services, sustainable economic development, housing development, urban governance, spatial development guidance and environmental management, climate change adaptation, mitigation and disaster risk reduction . The challenge involves dealing with the development and infrastructure deficit, in addition to required adaption to and mitigation of climate change . This paper examines the current state of urban management in Africa .

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Configurations to Superior Environmental Innovation Strategy: A Both–And Approach

Organization & Environment ◽

10.1177/10860266211031623 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 108602662110316

Author(s):

Tiziana Russo-Spena ◽

Nadia Di Paola ◽

Aidan O’Driscoll

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Value Chain ◽

Critical Role ◽

Well Being ◽

Point Of View ◽

Future Generations ◽

Innovation Strategy ◽

Environmental Innovation ◽

Data Set

An effective climate change action involves the critical role that companies must play in assuring the long-term human and social well-being of future generations. In our study, we offer a more holistic, inclusive, both–and approach to the challenge of environmental innovation (EI) that uses a novel methodology to identify relevant configurations for firms engaging in a superior EI strategy. A conceptual framework is proposed that identifies six sets of driving characteristics of EI and two sets of beneficial outcomes, all inherently tensional. Our analysis utilizes a complementary rather than an oppositional point of view. A data set of 65 companies in the ICT value chain is analyzed via fuzzy-set comparative analysis (fsQCA) and a post-QCA procedure. The results reveal that achieving a superior EI strategy is possible in several scenarios. Specifically, after close examination, two main configuration groups emerge, referred to as technological environmental innovators and organizational environmental innovators.

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Climate Change Inaction and Optimism

Philosophies ◽

10.3390/philosophies6030061 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 61

Author(s):

Philip J. Wilson

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Economic Growth ◽

Collective Action ◽

Public Discourse ◽

Collective Action Problem ◽

The Public ◽

Policy Context ◽

Positive Action ◽

Ideological Fantasy

The problem of climate change inaction is sometimes said to be ‘wicked’, or essentially insoluble, and it has also been seen as a collective action problem, which is correct but inconsequential. In the absence of progress, much is made of various frailties of the public, hence the need for an optimistic tone in public discourse to overcome fatalism and encourage positive action. This argument is immaterial without meaningful action in the first place, and to favour what amounts to the suppression of truth over intellectual openness is in any case disreputable. ‘Optimism’ is also vexed in this context, often having been opposed to the sombre mood of environmentalists by advocates of economic growth. The greater mental impediments are ideological fantasy, which is blind to the contradictions in public discourse, and the misapprehension that if optimism is appropriate in one social or policy context it must be appropriate in others. Optimism, far from spurring climate change action, fosters inaction.

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It’s Our Fault: A Global Comparison of Different Ways of Explaining Climate Change

Human Ecology ◽

10.1007/s10745-021-00229-w ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Michael Schnegg ◽

Coral Iris O’Brian ◽

Inga Janina Sievert

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Carbon Dioxide ◽

Local Knowledge ◽

Indigenous Communities ◽

Point Of View ◽

Global Comparison ◽

Local Phenomenon ◽

World Regions ◽

Survey Results ◽

Specific Factors

AbstractInternational surveys suggest people increasingly agree the climate is changing and humans are the cause. One reading of this is that people have adopted the scientific point of view. Based on a sample of 28 ethnographic cases we argue that this conclusion might be premature. Communities merge scientific explanations with local knowledge in hybrid ways. This is possible because both discourses blame humans as the cause of the changes they observe. However, the specific factors or agents blamed differ in each case. Whereas scientists identify carbon dioxide producers in particular world regions, indigenous communities often blame themselves, since, in many lay ontologies, the weather is typically perceived as a local phenomenon, which rewards and punishes people for their actions. Thus, while survey results show approval of the scientific view, this agreement is often understood differently and leads to diverging ways of allocating meaning about humans and the weather.

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Dog Tethering in Slovakia: Legal, Ethical and Behavioral Aspects and Dog Welfare Implications

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11030594 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 594

Author(s):

Daniela Takáčová ◽

Lenka Skurková ◽

Lýdia Mesarčová ◽

Lenka Lešková ◽

Lucia Kottferová ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Safety ◽

Basic Needs ◽

Point Of View ◽

Animal Protection ◽

Legal Rules ◽

Behavioral Aspects ◽

Welfare Implications ◽

Individual Features ◽

Physical Comfort

Long-term tethering of dogs, or their keeping under unsuitable conditions can result in issues related to changes in their behavior as they may not satisfy their basic needs of life. These needs are discussed in this paper, along with cases when dogs unnecessarily have to endure cruelty and pain. The unavoidable tethering of a dog must not cause trauma and must be arranged in a way that it guarantees physical comfort. Failure to meet the basic needs of an animal may result in manifestation of fear and subsequent aggressiveness. Owners of animals are responsible for their life and health, and their obligations include eliminating the possibility of them hurting themselves or other beings. The relevant adopted legislative provisions should provide protection to animals and be enforceable, which currently appears rather difficult. Controlling and observation of the legislative provisions related to the tethering of dogs raises some difficulties for animal protection inspectors. It is necessary to focus on the specificities of keeping conditions of various dog breeds and on their individual features. Based on research and the relevant Slovak legislative provisions, this paper discusses various views on the practice of tethering dogs from the point of view of public safety and the ethical consequences of permanent dog tethering. Data on dog tethering in Slovakia were evaluated based on a survey and Slovak legal rules governing this issue were analyzed along with various views of public safety and the ethical consequences of permanent dog tethering.

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Investigating the effects of environmental patents and climate change mitigation technologies on sustainable economic growth in the Middle East

International Journal of Low-Carbon Technologies ◽

10.1093/ijlct/ctab007 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sadegh Abedi ◽

Mehrnaz Moeenian

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Economic Growth ◽

Middle East ◽

Climate Change Mitigation ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Middle East Countries ◽

Sustainable Economic Growth ◽

Change Mitigation

Abstract Sustainable economic growth and identifying factors affecting it are among the important issues which have always received attention from researchers of different countries. Accordingly, one of the factors affecting economic growth, which has received attention from researchers in the developed countries over recent years, is the issue of environmental technologies that enter the economic cycle of other countries after being patented through technology transfer. The current research investigated the role of the environment-related patents and the effects of the patented technological innovations compatible with climate change mitigation on the economic growth and development in the Middle East countries within a specific time period. The required data were gathered from the valid global databases, including Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and World Bank and have been analyzed using multi-linear regression methods and econometric models with Eviews 10 software. The obtained results with 95% confidence level show that the environmental patents (β = 0.02) and environment management (β = 0.04) and technologies related to the climate change mitigation (β = 0.02) have a significant positive impact on the sustainable economic development and growth rate in the studied countries. Such a study helps innovators and policymakers in policy decisions related to sustainable development programs from the perspective of environmentally friendly technologies by demonstrating the role of patents in three important environmental areas, namely environmental management, water-related adaptation and climate change mitigation, as one of the factors influencing sustainable economic growth.

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Urban Hazard Adaptation: Efficiency of a Green Infrastructure in an Italian metropolis

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-15461 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Francesco Busca ◽

Roberto Revelli

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Green Infrastructure ◽

Local Governments ◽

Sustainable Use ◽

Point Of View ◽

Environmental Benefits ◽

Atmospheric Pollutants ◽

Water Runoff ◽

Water Shortages ◽

Economic Point

In recent years, safeguarding approaches and environmental management initiatives have been adopted both by international institutions and local governments , aimed at sustainable use of natural resources and their restoration, in order to manage hazard level of climate change consequences (urban flooding, droughts and water shortages, sea level rise, issues with food security).Cities represent the main collectors of these effects, consequently they need to implement specific adaptation plans mitigating consequences of such future events: Green Infrastructures (G.I.) fall within the most effective tools for achieving the goal. In the urban context, they also identify themselves as valid strategies for biodiversity recovery and ecological functions.This work analyzes the role of a G.I. in an urban environment, with the aim of quantifying Ecosystem Services (E.S.) provided by vegetation: through usage of i-Tree, specific software suite for E.S. quantification, the sustainability offered by &#8220;Le Vallere&#8221; park, a 34-hectares greenspace spread between municipalities of Turin and Moncalieri (Italy), was analyzed, in collaboration with the related management institution (Ente di gestione delle Aree Protette del Po torinese). The study, carried out using two specific tools (i-Tree Eco and i-Tree Hydro), focuses on different aspects: carbon sequestration and storage, atmospheric pollutants reduction, avoided water runoff and water quality improvement are just some of the environmental benefits generated by tree population. Tools enable to carry out the analysis also from an economic point of view, evaluating monetary benefits brought by the green infrastructure both at present day and in the future, &#160;taking into account climate change effects through projections based on the regional climatic model COSMO-CLM (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios).The work led to deepen potential held by the greenspace, helping the cooperating management institution &#160;to plan future territorial agenda and to find innovative approaches for an integrated and sustainable hazard control.

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