The Earth - Space Ship
The environment as an economic
resource
Introduction
1. Earth as an environmental
system
2. The environment as an economic
value
3. The government of the economic
behaviors
4. From the traditional economy to
the “Green” economy
Boulding: the spaceship earth

Economy as circular flowing of resources.

Environment as a system of
A) Ties
B) Sources of resources
C) Points of waste absorption
From the borders logic to the space
ship logic
What is the relationship between the
operation of the economic system and the
defense of the functions of sustaining the
life of the natural environments?
… IT IS DIFFICULT TO
ANSWER
The environment
 Offer resources
(renewable and non)

It assimilates the wastes

It furnishes amenities
(aesthetical preference,
recreation, spiritual realization…)
All these activities have a positive
economic value, but can not be always
exchanged on the markets!
The budget of the economic activities
cost-benefit must consider all the
environmental consequences that are
produced, to be put aside of their
contability in the market
Economic development
supported
It is necessary to interfere the behavior
of the economic agents:


command and
control rules
incentives based on
the market
It is necessary to
appraise:

The tools of available interference

The objectives of the environmental
control policy

The cost of the tools related to the
hierarchy of the objectives
For the traditional economy,
the creation / destruction
of value has what to do with
the increase / decrease
of the individuals interest,
and therefore
with the preferences of the
human
In the environment economy ,
the creation / destruction
of value has what to do with the
vitality of the ecosystem of which the
human society takes part, and
therefore we must consider
A non human point of view