ECONOMIC REPORT
ECONOMICREPORT
By Michael Baran, President of GEPSD Economic Consulting Inc.
A business economic perspective on achieving true sustainability: What is the plan? In the current enthusiasm for everything sustainable we may actually be missing the point in a substantive way. While we may be taking small steps towards sustainability, the real sustainable pathway would require us at the very least to start making substantive plans and to create the financial means and mechanisms to transition to true sustainability. KEY SUSTAINABILITY GOALS: 1. Urban and Industrial sprawl – stop and reduce. 2. Fossil fuel consumption and dependency – reduce significantly. 3. Recycling of consumer and industrial goods & waste – 100% recycled. 4 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE
4. Urban planning for green spaces, pedestrian and bike traffic, mass transit, inclusion of local business, and smart growth. 5. Protection of Nature’s space. CRITICAL FACTORS DETERMINING THE NECESSITY AND SPEED REQUIRED FOR DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE PLANS AND TRANSITION PLANS: 1. Polluted oceans, land, fresh waters, and agricultural land (ongoing pollution). 2. Loss of natures footprint: Forests, oceans, fresh waterways, marshes, and others (ongoing loss of footprint). 3. Economic Factors: