Friday, 14 March 2008
The Age of Sustainability
Add or View Comments- Fri, 14 Mar 2008
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The Age of Sustainability?
It occurred to me this morning, listening to the news, that the agenda is increasingly being defined by environmental considerations. Today, we have a new terminal opened at Heathrow, hammering home the juxtaposition that so many politicians hold over the environment and aviation.
Meanwhile EU leaders agreed at least in principle to cut emissions from 1990 levels by 20% by 2020. And our leader Gordon's efforts to cut the rate of VAT on Energy Saving Lightbulbs seemed to be making inroads, against expectations.
The 21st Century Agenda
The 21st Century is shaping up to be defined by sustainability. We have achieved levels of prosperity that exceed all possible expectations of previous generations. Arguably we have become so prosperous that lower levels of material prosperity are seen as desirable - see Eco-Correctness.
The challenge for us in the next 92 years will be to start thinking on a global scale and to consider how we can maintain our prosperity, bring everyone else to the same levels and avoid self-destruction. Why are we even still talking about plastic bags?
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