In a lucidly written book reflecting a grave urgency, economist Jeffrey Sachs (The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time) states that... (show more)
In a lucidly written book reflecting a grave urgency, economist Jeffrey Sachs (The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time) states that by the year 2050, the world will have 9.2 billion inhabitants, a traumatizing increase from the 2.6 billion people we have now. It's an unprecedented population explosion that everyone agrees will prove toxic in combination with the perils of climate change. Coastal urban zones will become so densely inhabited that the inevitable Katrina-level cyclones will be all the more devastating, while obesity and heart disease become more pervasive. Even within such a fatalistic vision, it will probably strike many readers as sacrilege that Sachs has taken the stance that free market forces will not overcome the sustainability crisis that faces our planet today. Currently as Director of Columbia University's Earth Institute and Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the author lends a uniquely global perspective to what he views as the inevitable fate of humanity should we not change course immediately.
Sachs believes there are three steps necessary in realizing sustainable development that could avert certain tragedy from dramatic climate change and global warming. The first consists of bolstering sustainable technologies within a short period of time and on a global scale. The second is to take the necessary preventative measures to stabilize global population, especially in Africa. The third step is to minimize national borders to help developing countries to escape poverty. His roadmap indicates that the cost to achieve humanity's shared objectives is comparatively low when considering the dire consequences. He believes the cost of stabilizing levels of carbon in the atmosphere will amount to less than one-percent of the world's annual income. Eradicating poverty will prove marginally more costly since measures to slow population growth and raise standards of living in the poorest countries will cost the rich nations two-to-three percent of their gross national product.
The author makes a compelling argument that there is no shortage of resources on Earth, and in fact, the barriers we face are self-imposed as they reflect our limited capacity to cooperate. Sachs aims much of the blame on recent U.S. administrations, which have bypassed the global leadership responsibilities of the previous generations to fund wasteful wars with no clear purpose. Meanwhile, he shows that China and India have emerged as the great new powers and have to be accommodated to be a true part of the international system, preferably without the need for a world war. There is no doubt that Sachs provides a powerfully compelling argument, but it also seems overly optimistic. Finding a common truth among nations and international organizations with singular objectives has proven elusive, and there is no evidence that a major epiphany appears nowhere in sight.
The subtext within Sachs's seemingly logical book can come across periodically as over-simplistic, especially as he keeps reiterating his strongly-held belief that we could solve all the problems we face if only we all acted in a rational manner. However, he ignores the simple fact that emotions like fear, neurosis and desire can also drive economic decisions. In turn, his advice comes in the form of how-to, multi-step lists which tend to trivialize matters. Most are on the macro level, but he also provides a list of eight actions - including learning and traveling - that each of us can take on to fulfill the hopes of subsequent generations in encouraging sustainable development. One can conclude that living in a sustainable manner is harder in actual practice than Sachs acknowledges even with trade, technology and common markets making for an increasingly borderless world. The potential for collaboration is there but so are the nationalistic feelings that prevent the goal of a greater good. The elements of successful sustainability are there, according to Sachs, but one questions if the spirit is really willing. (show less)
