Dossier: Inside the Green Economy

A green 5 dollar bill with Abraham Lincoln on it

Introduction to Inside the Green Economy

Green Economy is a source of both hope and controversy. For some, it points the way out of permanent environmental and economic crises and promises to reconcile – a long cherished Utopia – ecology and economics. It fosters the hope that we can hang on to our current high standard of material prosperity.

By Thomas Fatheuer, Lili Fuhr and Barbara Unmüßig

Originally, the Green Economy was meant to create the political space for a deeper conversation. Yet, as argued in this book, such a conversation must go beyond a shallow ‘economisation’ of nature and quick techno-fixes.

- TIM JACKSON

The Book

Inside the Green Economy - Promises and Pitfalls

The economic and ecological bases of a general prosperity are in danger, the gap between rich and poor is widening. The concept of the Green Economy offers a new model, based primarily on large-scale technological solutions. But the Green Economy cares little about politics, barely registers human rights, does not recognize social actors and suggests the possibility of reform without conflict. It suggests that the world as we know it can continue with green growth.

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Discussion

Rethinking the Green Economy - Which economic model do we need for social and ecological justice? - Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung

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Rethinking the Green Economy - Which economic model do we need for social and ecological justice? This and other questions were discussed by Tim Jackson, author of "Prosperity Without Growth", and Gerhard Schick, author of "Machtwirtschaft – nein danke!" with the authors of Inside the Green Economy. The event on 19 September 2016 was facilitated by Petra Pinzler.

Interview with Tim Jackson

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It’s a combination of ecological, social and indeed economic and financial reasons why we have to end up looking at shifting that model of how we understand the economy. We need a transformation.

Book samples

Proteste in Rio während des Klimagipfels

Foreword to Inside the Green Economy

Inside the Green Economy: Nature or natural capital?

The Green Economy as a way out of the global crisis?

“Business as usual” is not a realistic option, as even the international mainstream of the World Bank, UNEP and OECD acknowledge, an admission which has in turn boosted the Green Economy’s career prospects.

By Barbara Unmüßig, Thomas Fatheuer and Lili Fuhr

Reviews on the Book

"Inside the Green Economy is a wonderful critique of the alternative program we have embraced: timid, we have prostrated ourselves to the economic illusion of consensus and the chimera of growth. [...] If it is not to be a complete political suicide then we must first challenge the mythology that the market will save us. Inside the Green Economy is a clarion call for why this must be our fight if we are to survive on this planet." Graham Bracken

Theses & Articles

Inside the Green Economy - promises and pitfalls in 9 theses

Thomas Fatheuer, Lili Fuhr and Barbara Unmüßig of the Heinrich Böll Foundation set out to explore the basic assumptions, hypotheses and proposed solutions of the green economy and to illustrate and criticize their effects in practice.

By Barbara Unmüßig, Lili Fuhr and Thomas Fatheuer

There is no plausible scenario that credibly combines growth, an absolute reduction of environmental consumption and more global justice in a world of nine billion people.

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