Environmentally sustainable growth : a pragmatic approach

"Those of us in the developed world have a far greater environmental impact than people in the developing world, but there is great political pressure in the developing world to increase material wealth. And that political pressure will lead to increased environmental impacts. Our political stability and security depend on the maintenance of material wealth where it exists and economic growth where people are poor. But to achieve those goals, we must learn how to construct a high throughput economy that does not destroy our planet's ecosystems. This is the major theme of this book: How do we realistically get from the current economic paradigm to one that permits economic growth while protecting the planet's ecosystems? To achieve the transition to environmental sustainability, we must undertake the following five actions: 1. Research, measure and understand the current state of environmental degradation. 2. Understand the causes of environmental degradation. 3. Develop a strategy for reducing pollution and growing a renewable-resource-based economy. 4. Build public sector infrastructure to support environmental sustainability. 5. Change the politics, advocacy, and communication of environmental sustainability."