Ecological Debt: The Health of the Planet and the Wealth of Nations

by Andrew Simms

'A new phrase has entered the language.' Anita Roddick, founder of the Body Shop

'Creative and compelling.' Guardian

'Essential reading.' Head of the International Panel on Climate Change

If the whole world wanted to live like people in the United States we would need the resources of five planets like Earth. Simms shows how millions of us in the West are running up huge ecological debts: from the amount of oil and coal that we burn to heat our houses and run our cars, to what we consume and the waste that we create, the impact of our lifestyles is felt worldwide. Whilst these debts go unpaid, millions more living in poverty in the majority world suffer the burden of paying dubious foreign financial debts. The book explores a great paradox of our age: how the global wealth gap was built on ecological debts, which the world's poorest are now having to pay for. Highlighting how and why this has happened, he also shows what can be done differently in the future - and what steps we can take to stop pushing the planet to the point of environmental bankruptcy.

Genres: Environment

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Andrew Simms is policy director of nef (the new economics foundation) the award-winning UK think-and-do tank, and head of nef's Climate Change Programme. His latest book is Ecological Debt: Global Warming and the Wealth of Nations published by Pluto Press.

Reviews

[Andrew Hodgson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very original and well written with important implications. I feel the conclusion with measured hope for what a future economy might look like is strong. What is missing I feel is some acknowledgment that most humans, at least in America, could not possibly adapt in their current health state or how the world is built or just give up their car. It is not only selfishness of Americans, but what we are born into. I bike to work and am lucky to have such a commute but most cannot physically do that- due to the human species forgetting how to eat Andrew having major health issues add the new normal and because many places are designed for cars only now. Try biking everywhere in Wyoming! So it will be a slow transition when and if it does come. Future people will need to be fitter, leaner, more V resourceful.