Economics is much more than the study of money, writes Paul Mobbs. It is a belief system, and in its 'mainstream' incarnation, one that serves a very useful purpose - for those that reap the benefits. But as Brian Davey shows in his insightful new book, it's letting the rest of us down: failing to deliver human wellbeing, while driving ecological calamity.
… 'Credo': economics is a belief system - and we are … Paul Mobbs | 6th November 2015 Reviews Economics Books Politics … Economics is much more than the study of … for the 'ecological view' of the world. If economics is a belief system, how can we …
Peru is in hot competition with Brazil to be the main focus of Amazonian deforestation, writes Clément Doleac. A neoliberal government desperate to hand over the country's forests, oil, gas, minerals and indigenous lands for corporate exploitation is unafraid to break national laws, turn a blind eye to air and water pollution, and respond to any challenges with overwhelming violence.
… . Notes 1. 'Peru Economic Outlook' in Focus Economics , August 11, 2015. Consulted on http://www.focus-economics.com/countries/peru on September …
The idea that our profit-oriented, growth-driven economic system can deliver a sustainable society is a beguiling one, write Lili Fuhr, Thomas Fatheuer & Barbara Unmüßig. But it is doomed to failure. The changes we need are in the first place political, and will be driven by a new democratic will to put people and planet before money.
… | 19th July 2016 Comment Green Economy Economics Politics Technology Corporations … Moreover, it reasserts the primacy of economics, thereby failing to recognize the …
China boasts the fastest growing economy in the world. But how to calculate this development’s impact on natural resources, on public health and the environment? Pan Yue sets out the case for green GDP accounting
… Climate Change Climate Change Politics And Economics chinas_growth_MAIN.jpg China boasts …
After two decades of neoliberalism, India's magnates and corporations are profiting as never before, writes Colin Todhunter. But the entire economic edifice is built on the dispossession of the poor, locked into debt servitude, and ever rising income inequality. Prime Minister Modi's latest move, 'demonetization', is yet another example of the state stealing from the poor to give to the obscenely rich.
India's 'economic miracle' is built on debt, dispossession and now, monetary destruction Colin Todhunter | 30th November 2016 Comment India Corporations Finance Farming Politics hunger-cut.jpg After …
Sir Nicholas Stern was asked to find out what way of averting climate change was economically feasible. A loaded question that has allowed him to find a perverse solution to a fatal problem.
… the realms of what has been termed ‘the economics of genocide’. Essentially, the whole …
Recent falls in oil prices give 'greens' cause to rethink arguments about 'peak oil' and get back to why they are really opposed to fossil fuels, writes Dr Steve Melia. Ultimately, it's not the economic evidence that drives government decisions - it's the politics!
… Peak oil is one of several ways conventional economics have been used to promote … who say they believe in the conventional economics behind cost-benefit analysis pour … misunderstands the role of evidence and economics in political decision-making. …
With its choice of Hinkley Point C - a £100 billion nuclear boondoggle - its enthusiastic support for expensive and environmentally harmful fracking, and its relentless attack on renewable energy, the UK government's energy policy is both morally and economically bankrupt, write Peter Strachan & Alex Russell. It must urgently reconsider this folly and embrace the renewable energy transition.
Nuclear and fracking: the economic and moral bankruptcy of UK energy policy Peter Strachan Alex Russell | 27th September 2016 News Energy Nuclear Fossil Fuels Fracking UK Politics …
Britain's deep-seated environmental and economic problems have nothing to do with immigration, writes Adam Ramsay, and everything to do with our unjust and divisive social order, and the austerity that is being inflicted on us by an oppressive ruling class.
… | 21st June 2014 Comment UK Society Politics Economics southall-cut.jpg Britain's … Thatcher said, famously "the method is economics, but the object is to change the …
The 'Global Redesign Initiative', a project of the World Economic Forum, aims to replace UN-based intergovernmental decision-making with unaccountable 'multi-stakeholder governance' run by and for corporations, writes Margi Prideaux. What future for nature and people in this brave new world? Generate profits for investors, or face extinction or exclusion to the margins of existence.
… nature, outsourcing governance: the economics of extinction Margi Prideaux | 7th November 2016 Comment Economics Natural World Conservation Politics … to explore new relationships in international economics unhindered by the democracy and …
From slave labour to armed conflict, our thirst for natural resources has created serious problems for Africa. Pádraig Carmody’s latest book attempts to unravel the moral morass, says Mark Newton
… Conflict Diamonds Coltan Oil Politics Economics China USA Britain Europe jacket.jpg …
The quiet desperation of declining towns and cities across America's West is understandable, writes George Wuerthner. Of course people dream of the 'good old days' when there were wild prairies to be grazed, forests to be felled and oil wells to be sunk - and try to bring them back. But in so doing they neglect and abuse their real and enduring wealth: nature, landscape and wildlife.
… George Wuerthner | 9th May 2016 Comment USA Economics Ecology Politics Commons The Land … gas drilling, and ranching. However, global economics have taken away most of those jobs. … what they don't understand is that global economics have changed, and even if the …
Within minutes of Labour's election defeat its MPs were denouncing Miliband for failing to 'embrace aspiration' and alienating 'wealth creators', writes Ben Whitham. But the real problem was that he never expressed a coherent alternative to neoliberalism and austerity, presenting at best a 'Tory lite' agenda that failed to inspire. And who are the real wealth creators anyway?
… Ben Whitham | 4th July 2015 News Politics UK Economics Society jeremy-corbyn-cut.jpg Within … would become known as the 'Chicago School' of economics , a school that has in turn come to … - and, increasingly, global - politics and economics. It is the social trajectory to …
Commitment to action on climate change was once a banner of modernism adopted by by both Tony Blair and David Cameron, writes Leo Barasi. But no longer. The Tories have abandoned it entirely, while the Labour mainstream, in thrall to the twin narratives of 'austerity' and 'aspiration', looks the other way. So how to put climate change back on the centre-left agenda?
… 28th August 2015 News Climate Change Politics Economics UK tony-blair-climate-cut.jpg For … right of the party, the debate has been about economics and local noise and air pollution: …
A new carbon 'tax and dividend' climate strategy would strengthen our economy, reduce regulation, help working class Americans, shrink government, promote national security, and reduce emissions, write eight senior US conservative politicians, financiers and academics. Now Republican control of all branches of the US government makes it an opportunity not to miss!
… climate change reflects poor science and poor economics, and is at odds with the party's own … He is the George F. Baker Professor of Economics at Harvard University and President … Bush. He is the Robert M. Beren Professor of Economics at Harvard University. Rob Walton …
The global economic shake-down of low oil prices continues apace, writes Alexander Reid Ross, causing environmentalists to celebrate the collapse of dirty energy projects. But the oil price collapse is the manifestation of a multi-layered conflict being fought out on the political, military and ideological battlefields of the Middle East - and it may not last much longer.
… January 2015 News Oil Energy Politics War Economics kuwait-oil-fire-cut.jpg The global …
Current oil price volatility is a symptom of the end of cheap oil, writes Nafeez Ahmed, and it's destablising the entire global economy. The answer is a major shift to renewables - but the the International Energy Agency, which should be leading the transition, is in the grip of nuclear and fossil fuel interests. Instead the leadership must come from us, the people!
… Nafeez Ahmed | 4th February 2015 News Energy Economics Oil Renewables Politics …
When Chancellor George Osborne delivers his Budget next month, we can be sure that climate and environment won't take a high priority, writes Alan Simpson. All the more reason for the Labour leadership to develop a new 'one planet' economics for the 21st century that delivers social justice and respects ecological limits.
… Simpson | 5th February 2016 Comment Politics Economics UK Climate Change Emissions Energy … leadership to develop a new 'one planet' economics for the 21st century that delivers … forlornly explaining the virtues of an economics that puts back more than it takes …
A wide-ranging academic study of civil wars in 69 countries from 1945 to 1999 finds that the likelihood of outside intervention increases when the country at war has large reserves of oil, and a potential intervener needs to secure oil imports on favourable terms to meet domestic demand.
… published in the Review of International Economics , found strong empirical evidence … . Petros Sekeris is Principal Lecturer in Economics at the University of Portsmouth. …
Modern economies depend on growth, writes Giorgos Kallis: the moment it stops, we all get poorer, government tax revenues decline and unemployment rises. So is it possible to have prosperity without growth? Yes it is - and here's how ...
… | 28th February 2015 Comment Green Economy Economics Politics EU … Giorgos Kallis is Professor of Ecological Economics at the Autonomous University of …
HS2, the UK's £50bn+ high-speed rail project to speed travel between London and Birmingham - and eventually Manchester and beyond is colossal waste of money, writes Rupert Read. The resources should be used to fund sustainable local and regional transport schemes.
… Read | 12th May 2014 Comment Transport UK Economics Politics hs2-no10-cut.jpg HS2, the … of this money on the present plans. Fiddled economics There are serious flaws in the …
Fracking has no social licence in the UK, will contribute little to the economy, will have a huge adverse impact on other sectors, will be a disaster to climate and the environment, and won't even improve energy security, write Peter Strachan and Alex Russell. Do we really want to see 16,000 or more shale gas wells drilled in the British countryside? Let's FraXit now!
Time to give the chop to fracking: FraXit now! Professors Peter Strachan Alex Russell | 19th December 2016 Comment Fracking Energy Fossil Fuels Pollution Politics UK England Scotland …