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The debate on the physical limits and constraints to the economic growth of globalized society is now widespread. This book explores the physical and economic aspects of the conflict between humans, with their thoughtless focus on growth through material production, and environmental constraints.
In the context of the looming shortage of material resources and the latest science on climate change, Physical Limits to Economic Growth offers new insights which provide a broad and comprehensive picture of the conflict between humans and environmental constraints. The authors' approach goes beyond the boundaries of specialized disciplines to explore climate change, resource depletion, technical innovation and the interactions between these within the socio-economic-institutional systems we live in. This volume looks at opportunities for rethinking these systems if we moved away from fossil fuel dependence, while considering the status of current mainstream economic thinking around this subject.
Physical Limits to Economic Growth provides a genuine interdisciplinary examination of the physical limits to economic growth. It will be of interest to both students and academics in various disciplines in the areas of natural sciences, climate change and economics.
List of contents
Introduction, 1. The Limits to Material Resources Ugo Bardi, 2. Global Climate Change Stefano Caserini, 3. Limits for a growing complexity system Angelo Tartaglia, 4. Depletion vs. Innovation: The Fundamental Question of Sustainability Joseph A. Tainter, Deborah Strumsky, Temis G. Taylor, Michelle Arnold, José Lobo, 5. Strategies for an Economy Facing Energy Constraints Ian Schindler and Julia Schindler, 6. Limits to Material Growth and Economics: Ecological Conditions and Values and the Core Components of Economic Theories Roberto Burlando, Conclusions
About the author
Roberto Burlando is Associate Professor in the Department of Economics and Statistics at Università degli Studi di Torino, Italy
Angelo Tartaglia is Senior Professor in the Department of Applied Science and Technology at Politecnico di Torino, Italy
Summary
The debate on the physical limits and constraints to the economic growth of globalized society is now widespread. This book explores the physical and economic aspects of the conflict between humans, with their thoughtless focus on growth through material production, and environmental constraints.
