Sustainability Bites

There is no such thing as a free lunch

sustainability

Crushing the doughnut: A mud map on how we’re going on ‘sustainability’

Crushing the doughnut: A mud map on how we’re going on ‘sustainability’

The concept of doughnut economics incorporates both biophysical elements and social justice elements in one framing, something few other approaches to sustainability do in a comprehensive manner. Unfortunately, 2023 is revealing solid evidence that the doughnut of sustainability is being remorselessly crushed. We’re breaching our ecological ceiling at the same time we are failing on most of our internationally agreed minimum social standards. Humanity’s space for sustainability is shrinking before our eyes, right at the same time climate disruption is beginning to tear apart society’s foundations.

What is ecology’s contribution to sustainability? And why does economics get the Big Chair at the dinner table?

What is ecology’s contribution to sustainability? And why does economics get the Big Chair at the dinner table?

If economics is the ‘mother tongue’ of public policy then, unfortunately, ecology remains a foreign language. Apart from ecologists not being native speakers of economics (and vice-versa) their substantive ideas concerning ecological relationships and processes are not obvious to the ordinary person.