In response to Professor Dasgupta’s review, published today [1], the Green Party MP Caroline Lucas said:
"Professor Dasgupta’s report should send shockwaves through the Treasury. His conclusion is crystal clear: ministers need to replace GDP growth with environmental protection and human wellbeing as the country’s overarching economic goals and apply this to all economic policy making - starting with next month’s budget.
We cannot continue with our current approach to economic progress if we are to preserve the natural world we depend on and are part of – it can no longer be treated by peripheral to our lives. A focus on GDP growth above anything else is driving ecological as well as climate breakdown and no amount of Prime Ministerial rhetoric or ‘investing in nature’ will halt this catastrophe if we don’t address the root cause.
We can enhance biodiversity and create a better society for everyone if we abandon an outdated, destructive way of thinking about the economy as separate from the environment and wellbeing and move to one focused on people’s health, quality of life and the regeneration of nature. Two thirds of the public think that government should focus on health and wellbeing over GDP, and 2021 - the year of two critical UN summits - is the year to do it.”
ENDS
Notes
1
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nature-is-a-blind-spot-in-economics-that-we-ignore-at-our-peril-says-dasgupta-review