CPD Fellow Ben Eltham writes about the ‘true’ nature of our economy. The environment and the economy are not separate entities – they are inextricably intertwined. When the impacts of our actions on the environment are not accounted for in economic activities the results tend to be negative.
“One of the biggest costs of ignoring the environment in our economic system is that green innovators are punished. Coal-fired electricity generators are a classic example: because they pay nothing for polluting the atmosphere, coal-fired electricity is still cheaper than emerging electricity generation using wind, solar or geothermal. But if we priced carbon pollution reasonably, suddenly the electricity from those coal plants would be more expensive. Wind and other renewables would have a chance to compete.”
But there is hope that ‘green’ economic activities can supplant the unsustainable ways of the present.
Read the full article on ABC Online here.