For people and planet - By Al Gore, David Blood

[kpete]

For people and planet
Al Gore, David Blood

Tuesday, April 4, 2006

CAPITALISM and sustainability are deeply and increasingly interrelated. After all, our economic activity is based on the use of natural and human resources. Not until we more broadly "price in" the external costs of investment decisions across all sectors will we have a sustainable economy and society.

The industrial revolution brought enormous prosperity, but it also introduced unsustainable business practices. Our current system for accounting was principally established in the 1930s by Lord Keynes and the creation of "national accounts" (the backbone of today's gross domestic product). While this system was precise in its ability to account for capital goods, it was imprecise in its ability to account for natural and human resources because it assumed them to be limitless. This, in part, explains why our current model of economic development is hard-wired to externalize as many costs as possible.

much more at:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/04/04/EDGNSGUAGI1.DTL&hw=For+People+Planet&sn=002&sc=597

[Mabus]

1. Reminiscent of "the people, not the powerful" theme

He's thinking about running or he's toying with us.

[OneBlueSky]

2. recommended . . . and surprised at so few recs thusfar . . . n/t

.

[WhiteTara]

3. Al is so eloquent

"As some have said, "We are operating the Earth like it's a business in liquidation." More mechanisms to incorporate environmental and social externalities will be needed to enable capital markets to achieve their intended purpose -- to consistently allocate capital to its highest and best use for the good of the people and the planet."
I wish he would run.