Skip to main content
Home / GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society, Volume 21, Number 2

Open Access The Real Message of The Limits to Growth

A Plea for Forward-Looking Global Policy

Download Article:

Author: Randers, Jorgen

Source: GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society, Volume 21, Number 2, 2012, pp. 102-105(4)

Publisher: oekom verlag

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14512/gaia.21.2.7

It remains an open question whether economic growth without growing physical impact is feasible. It is possible in principle, but has not yet been observed in practice. The Limits to Growth did not seek to resolve this question, and the authors were split in their views on whether full decoupling can be realized. But they did agree that global society ought to reduce its ecological footprint per unit of consumption, and much more important, start doing so in time to avoid global overshoot. They also agreed that the task would be greatly simplified if human society moved away from its fascination with growth.

Keywords: ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS; ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT; ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE; SCENARIO ANALYSIS

Document Type: Research Article

Publication date: 01 June 2012

More about this publication?

  • GAIA is a peer-reviewed inter- and transdisciplinary journal for scientists and other interested parties concerned with the causes and analyses of environmental and sustainability problems and their solutions.

    Environmental problems cannot be solved by one academic discipline. The complex natures of these problems require cooperation across disciplinary boundaries. Since 1991, GAIA has offered a well-balanced and practice-oriented forum for transdisciplinary research. GAIA offers first-hand information on state of the art environmental research and on current solutions to environmental problems. Well-known editors, advisors, and authors work to ensure the high quality of the contributions found in GAIA and a unique transdisciplinary dialogue – in a comprehensible style.

    GAIA is an ISI-journal, listed in the Science Citation Index Expanded, Social Science Citation Index and in Current Contents/Social and Behavioral Sciences.

    All contributions undergo a double-blind peer review.

  • Editorial Board
  • Information for Authors
  • Subscribe to this Title
  • Ingenta Connect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites

Share Content

  • Access Key
  • Free content
  • Partial Free content
  • New content
  • Open access content
  • Partial Open access content
  • Subscribed content
  • Partial Subscribed content
  • Free trial content