Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 3
Limits to Resources, Economic Growth
and Happiness
Shoji Taniguchi
Abstract
The concept of limits to growth is introduced and the future scenarios
involving collapse due to pollution or resource depletion explained. These illustrate
the basic problem that we confront on natural resources and the environment within
a finite planet. The expanding demand for resources is not only causing the reserve/
production ratio to fall below 10 years by 2040 for many metals but aggressive min-
ing causes immense damage to the environment and ecosystems and to the people
living there. Methods of measuring impact are introduced—for instance the eco-
logical foot print which shows that 5.3 globes would be needed if all people in the
world attained the same affluent lifestyle as the USA. To avoid this future requires
reducing consumption and dependence on growth and to focus instead on happiness
as our ultimate purpose. This chapter introduces models and ways of thinking which
treat economy and industry as intermediates to that overall purpose and ensure natu-
ral resources are maintained to provide the essential basic support for humanity.
The example of Cuba which is applying some of these principles is also introduced.
Keywords
Economic growth
·
Natural resources
·
Happiness
·
Environmental load
assessment
·
Cuba sustainability
3.1
Introduction
This chapter introduces one of the most fundamental issues relating to sustainabil-
ity- the recognition that the Earth has limits and therefore that to be sustainable, hu-
man activities need to be managed so as not to exceed those limits. In this chapter I
will look at some of the history of the debate in the calculation of possible limits and
the consequences of exceeding those limits, look at some of the measurement tools
being developed to monitor trends against certain limits, and also lay the foundation
for asking questions about what kind of sustainable world we plan to create and
what are the objectives we should be considering for humankind and society.
