Justice in the Green Economy by Joachim Spangenberg

Global Management of Global Management of Resource useResource use

Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg

Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ,Dept. Community Ecology, Halle, Germany

Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07

Presentation at the Presentation at the

European HighEuropean High--Level Conference on Rio +20: Level Conference on Rio +20:

“Achieving Global Justice in the Green “Achieving Global Justice in the Green

Economy”Economy”BrusselsBrussels, March 15, March 15thth 20122012

Dept. Community Ecology, Halle, Germany

The threat:The threat:

Our resource consumption

cannot be globalised

because this would be


because this would be

environmentally and/or socially

unsustainable

and thus pose a risk for peace.

Inhabitants with a per capita income above 200 US $/day consume most resources

Inhabitants with a per capita income below 1 US $ a day (total: 3.5 billion) suffer from


below 1 US $ a day (total: 3.5 billion) suffer from energy and resource poverty. This will not change as long as purchasing power decides about access.

A Green Economy A Green Economy in the conin the con--text of SDtext of SD (improving well(improving well--being in an being in an

inclusive way, while respecting the inclusive way, while respecting the

planetary boundaries) planetary boundaries) promises not promises not only a response to the multionly a response to the multi--


..crisiscrisis (climate, food, water, energy, (climate, food, water, energy,

biodiversity, economy, social), but biodiversity, economy, social), but promises an escape from a development promises an escape from a development path which path which produced or permitted such produced or permitted such crisescrises to oneto one proactively addressing and proactively addressing and

avoiding themavoiding them. . Will it deliver??Will it deliver??

““Sustainable Sustainable development is development is development development that that

meets the needs of the meets the needs of the present without present without compromising the compromising the ability of future ability of future generations to meet generations to meet


generations to meet generations to meet their own needs. Itheir own needs. It t contains within it contains within it two two key concepts: …key concepts: …

(definition cont.)1. The concept of “needs”,

in particular the essential

needs of the world’s poor, to

which overriding priority

should be given, and

2. The idea of limitations


2. The idea of limitations

imposed by the state of

technology and social

organisation on the

environment’s ability to meet

present and future needs.”(WCED 1987, (WCED 1987, p.43p.43))

Sustainable Development: Sustainable Development: thethe basicbasicconceptsconcepts areare justicejustice and and limitslimits: : No No justicejustice –– nono sustainabilitysustainability!!


Sustainable Development History Lessons: Sustainable Development History Lessons: Four optionsFour options for escaping the scarcity trapfor escaping the scarcity trap

Three opt for an expansionist paradigm

1. · The imperial optionThe imperial option

2. · The liberal optionThe liberal option

3. · The engineering optionThe engineering option

One opts for an adaptation paradigm

4. · The political sustainability optionThe political sustainability option incl. resource incl. resource


4. · The political sustainability optionThe political sustainability option incl. resource incl. resource

efficiency, consumption limits and social justice.efficiency, consumption limits and social justice.

Expansionist options have dominated in the past Expansionist options have dominated in the past ––and Europe and Europe (Raw (Raw Materials Materials Strategy) and Strategy) and the the

NATO NATO Member Member States seem prepared to try them States seem prepared to try them again. again. The Resource Efficiency StrategyThe Resource Efficiency Strategyis a first step out of this trap.is a first step out of this trap.

…including …including conservation conservation of landscape, of landscape, agriculture, agriculture, beauty & biodiversitybeauty & biodiversity


Resource efficiency means less demand, less supply conflicts,


supply conflicts, similar services, less waste and pollution, and often more jobs

Innovative environmental Innovative environmental

technologies technologies combining combining

emission reduction and emission reduction and

recycling are needed recycling are needed

but not really new but not really new

and insufficient.and insufficient.


E.g.: Metal dust recovery system, enforced by regional kings „to avoid damage to neighbouring fields and grazing grounds”.

Source: Agricola, G. (1556). De re metallica

and insufficient.and insufficient.

The The biggestbiggest marketmarket failurefailure everever: E.g. : E.g. •in the producing industry, in average ½ of the total

expenditure is for resources (3% for energy), 1/5 is for

personnel.

•20% of resource cost can be saved with a payback

time of less than 1 year, another 20% pays out in less

than 3 years.


than 3 years.

••The savings potential is equivalent to the total The savings potential is equivalent to the total

personnel costs, increasing productivity, profit and personnel costs, increasing productivity, profit and

competitiveness.competitiveness.

•On the macro level, an increase of energy and

material efficiency by 20% would create

up to 1 million new jobs in Germany.

Besides innovation, ex-novation is

urgently needed.

EU companies sell

unsustainable consumption


and EU

citizens benefit

…

The market lacksThe market lacks social sensitivity, social sensitivity,

dedication to development, environmental dedication to development, environmental

awareness and over all a long term view.awareness and over all a long term view.

For Development to be successful, For Development to be successful,

Government must not serve the Government must not serve the

Market failures must be correctedMarket failures must be corrected


Government must not serve the Government must not serve the market, but complement it, market, but complement it, providing social, developmental and providing social, developmental and

environmental guard rails, and a longenvironmental guard rails, and a long--

term visionterm vision

- distributional justice and social equality,

- gender justice, equity and non-

discrimination;

- good work (minimum standards for work

quality and salary levels, cooperation

Government is responsible for Government is responsible for


quality and salary levels, cooperation

with business and trade unions);

- poverty alleviation (hardly attractive for

business) and inclusiveness;

- compatibility with social,

cultural and political values

… to certain activities, in order to allow

replenishing of natural resources or natural

capital, justice and social equality.

The alternative is collapse (e.g. fisheries),

A really A really Green Economy Green Economy requires limitations ... requires limitations ...


The alternative is collapse (e.g. fisheries),

and with it a complete loss of jobs.

Green investments are generally more labour

intensive, and can have direct effects for

poverty reduction, in particular by improving

the agro-productivity of rural smallholders

But: for decreasing resource But: for decreasing resource consumption, efficiency is not enoughconsumption, efficiency is not enoughWhat we need is absolute decoupling of economic

development and resource consumption, not a relative one with increasing emissions and waste generation.

�Rebound effect: The money saved through efficiency (win-win solutions) is spent, consuming resources


(win-win solutions) is spent, consuming resources and compensating (part of) the efficiency gains.

�Jevons‘ Paradox: Efficiency decreases the relative cost of a resource, generating incentives to use more of it, and it stimulates growth and thus resource use.

∑ Conclusion: Efficiency without skimming off (part of) the gains may lead to perverseoutcomes.

A really long way to goA really long way to go• from low tech low resource societies • via low tech high consumption and high tech

high resources • to high tech low resource societies


Local resources for local use support income & jobs

but not world market & high tech production.

Re-domesticate he money, keep it local not national

reaching the MDGs (a frequent illusion),

but it offers opportunities to overcome the

failures of past market radicalism (too much

was deregulated trusting self-regulation)

A regulation example: feed-in tariffs

A Green Economy is not per seA Green Economy is not per se


A regulation example: feed-in tariffs

- strengthen local participation;

- allow for community & coop - ownership;

- has mobilised billions of private capital for

restoring and protecting

the public goods

… involves the emergence not only of a new

economy, but also of a new society. We

should shape it consciously, with justice a

key orientation: with limits to growth, (re-)

distribution becomes central.

A A Great Transition…Great Transition…

5 P’s on/off the agenda5 P’s on/off the agenda


Peace – what happened to the peace dividend?

Power – where has empowerment gone (Ag. 21)?

Planet – Resource efficiency is not enough

People – social cohesion is crumbling

Prosperity – for all, all profit for the few?

5 P’s on/off the agenda5 P’s on/off the agenda

The best

way to

explore the

future is to


future is to

invent it.

Do it.

Sustainably.

Thank you for your attentionThank you for your attentionFor the presentation and other papers seeFor the presentation and other papers see


Dr. Joachim H. SpangenbergDr. Joachim H. SpangenbergHelmholtz Helmholtz CentreCentre forfor Environmental Research UFZ, HalleEnvironmental Research UFZ, [email protected]@ufz.de

http://seri.academia.edu/JoachimHSpangenberghttp://seri.academia.edu/JoachimHSpangenberg

Justice in the Green Economy by Joachim Spangenberg

Technology

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