Today is June 5th 2019, and coincidentally we celebrate two days in one, national Doughnut Day in the USA and Global Environment Day! A US Donut = a UK Doughnut. 🍩

Natural growth serves definite, attainable needs through networks and spirals.

Thanks to Kate Raworth’s Donut Model of economics we have some good ideas of how to develop the global economy within more optimal and more sustainable parameters even in the face of the projected human population of 9 billion by the year 2050. George Monbiot’s article in The Guardian Newspaper on Kate Raworth’s economic model is a very good introduction. What a great idea to aim for prosperity within safe parameters of environmental utilization. The Doughnut economic model shows parameters of sustainable human development. Click here to view the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Green economics offers hope to mankind.

I have just completed an online course on Biodiversity financing that has given me great cause for hope that mankind is already busily engaged in the process of adapting to the challenges of sustainable development.

Click on the sustainable development color wheel to visit the UN's sustainable development goal website.
The united colors of Sustainable Development in a wheel design, courtesy of United Nations

Hope is a wonderful thing, and should be shared. Green growth has been declared illusory, but growth in value can be independent of growth in mass, on the contrary I believe that Green growth is not a false promise, it is rather the only growth that we can count upon to allow our people to thrive through future generations. Here’s why:

Experts have estimated that we are currently using 1.6 X Earth’s resources and thus are stealing value from future generations, however it is also a matter of expert opinion that the world’s Gross Domestic Product value of about US$ 24 trillion can be maintained perpetually with investment of between US $ 150 billion – 440 billion.

Furthermore, as current economic activity is far from optimal, with the introduction of more sustainable farming and forestry and protected use of marine resources there is a potential for 170% of current GDP to be returned on a sustainable basis. See the mathematics here? There’s a potential cushion of 10% to prevent catastrophe in the face of projected population growth. We shouldn’t see this as wriggle-room, rather it is a useful margin of leeway to prevent severe unpleasantness. If we invest in sustainable development now, in a coordinated, globally responsible fashion, then our current and future generations can thrive. What is not to like about Doughnut economics?

I saw this striking snail on a Red Oak leaf in New York’s Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge when exploring it with my family recently, it put me in mind of natural growth patterns.

You may spell it Donut, I doughnut, but either way — a green economic shift seems to be a very good idea!