Planetary CFO
  • Blog/Home
  • About
  • Ideas
  • Rogues
  • A Finance Manual for the Planet
  • Gallery
  • Contact

Planetary CFO

Decoupling of Carbon Emissions from per capita GDP?

17/12/2016

2 Comments

 
Picture
The diagram above is from "World Economic Situation and Prospects 2016" published by the UN.  On the face of it, this provides some hope about the state of decoupling of carbon emissions from per capita GDP.  If sufficient decoupling can be achieved, then an amount of aggregate global GDP growth could be achieved while keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels. 

However, there is one aspect of this which is of some concern.  There is a nagging question on my mind.  What if the reduction in per capita carbon emissions in high-GDP countries is largely achieved by 'exporting' carbon emissions, ie by consuming products and services imported from parts of the world which have much higher per capita carbon emissions?   If this was the case, then, all other things being equal, it wouldn't be possible for all countries to be moved, over the years and decades, from bottom left of the diagram to the bottom right.  This is because there wouldn't be any countries remaining in the bottom left to "export" carbon emissions to. 

I'd be happy if anyone can point me in the direction of evidence that can put my mind at rest on this point. 

And perhaps one of the most important questions following on from that is:  "what would be the distribution of countries on the above curve at a sustainable equilibrium, and would that equilibrium be consistent with operating within sustainable and safe planetary limits (as per the Oxfam sustainability "doughnut" model)?"
2 Comments

Planetary CFO's view on Achim Steiner's Talk

1/12/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Achim Steiner (above), new Director of the Oxford Martin School, gave an absorbing and curiously upbeat talk in Oxford on 29th November about many of the dimensions of the current global challenges in creating a sustainable, fair existence for humanity on the planet. 

​He argues not for throwing away the existing systems, such as global economic ones, but rather for tweaking them in ways that incentivise right behaviours that take us closer to sustainability for the common good.  His most impassioned plea was for members of the audience to consider the degree of pressure currently faced by farmers, especially smallholders, within the agricultural economy.  He pointed out that we need that sector to thrive if we are to feed a human population that might grow to 10 billion people.  he also emphasised that automation is a threat to employment, yet within a few decades we will need about 600 million new jobs if we are to continue to use employment as an important means for people to provide for themselves.   

​Although this was one of the best, most integrative talks I've ever attended, I'm left with one question that bugs me - how to turn the fine words into fine actions.  Indeed, that's a question I ask of myself as well as wonder about others.

The video of the talk can be accessed at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiXHz8tOXfM
0 Comments

    Author

    The Planetary CFO - working towards a sustainable World Balance Sheet.

    Categories

    All
    Climate Change
    Economics
    Inequality
    Land Use
    Migrants
    Sustainability
    The Role
    Transport
    World Balance Sheet

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Blog/Home
  • About
  • Ideas
  • Rogues
  • A Finance Manual for the Planet
  • Gallery
  • Contact