There is a conflict of interest at the heart of government decision-making — In 2019, the UK became the first major economy to pass laws making it a legal obligation to achieve net zero by 2050. It was a symbolic moment because achieving net zero is essential to restrict global warming to 1.5°C, a threshold the IPCC argues must not be exceeded to…

Economists use the Environmental Kuznets Curve to justify economic growth in the face of increasing environmental pressures — There’s a consensus that sustainable development is a set of ideas that can allow us to deal with three crucial prongs simultaneously. Reduce environmental impacts, end poverty, and maintain a thriving economy. That third prong, maintaining a thriving economy, centres on the continued pursuit of economic growth. Even though the…

The belief net zero is synonymous with sustainability is dangerously misguided — Achieve net zero by 2050, and we’ll restrict global warming to 1.5°C. Restrict global warming to 1.5°C, and we’ll avert the worst impacts of the climate crisis. So if we do achieve the goal by 2050, would that make society sustainable? It sounds like a silly question. If the problem…

It all comes down to how wealth is distributed through society — IBM has paused hiring jobs that Artificial Intelligence (AI) could do. The software giant estimates AI like Chat GPT could replace 7,800 workers in the not-too-distant future. Great news for companies like IBM, who can slice costs while maintaining margins; not such great news for workers, as a host of…

The lottery is a product of a winner take all society — No more money troubles. No more worrying about bills. No more getting up early for a job that offers little meaning. Freedom. It’s little wonder people take such comfort in fantasising about winning the lottery. At face value, the lottery appears to be harmless fun, and yet it’s a microcosm…

Never-ending economic growth on a finite planet creates a profound dilemma — Looking at the Earth in all its majesty reveals an undeniable truth — the physical world around us is finite. That rather obvious fact may not seem to be a big deal, but it has earth-shattering connotations. Economic growth is the core belief of modern society. Achieving growth is the…

We’re hurtling into a world of profound uncertainty — The deciding factor in the Soviet Union building a Doomsday Machine in Dr Strangelove was a paranoid fear America would do the same and thereby create a Doomsday gap. The Doomsday Machine was designed to create a radioactive cloud that would encircle Earth for 93 years. The Soviet Unions Ambassador…

There appears to be an impossible equation at the heart of efforts to achieve a sustainable society — Efforts to overcome the climate crisis are all about decarbonising the economy so that we achieve net-zero by 2050. Ending poverty is all about stimulating economic growth in developing countries. The idea is that by doing both, we’ll lead to a sustainable society where human needs are met within environmental…

Metrics can create dangerous misconceptions — Sweden is a shining light when it comes to sustainability. The country has high living standards while setting ambitious targets to become net-zero by 2050. It’s for these reasons Sweden ranks as the most sustainable country in the world. It’s a beacon of hope, a sign of what’s possible. If…