Problem 1
What are the differences between economic growth and development? Relate economic growth and development to the notion of sustainable development. Do you believe that the Canadian economy is making much progress toward sustainable development? Explain your answer.
Problem 2
Can you think of any examples of economically valuable, potentially renewable resources that have not been severely depleted through excessive use or inappropriate management? Explain your answer.
Problem 3
List three environmental values that do not directly contribute to the human economy, but are nevertheless important to the healthy functioning of ecosystems. Could these services be valuated (measured in dollars) in order to allow their degradation to be considered a true "cost" of doing business? What would be the benefits of such an ecological costaccounting?
Problem 4
In this chapter, we defined sustainable development as "progress toward an economic system based on the use of natural resources in a manner that does not deplete their stocks nor compromise their availability for use by future generations of humans." We also defined ecologically sustainable development as "considering the human need for resources within an ecological context, and including the need to sustain all species and all components of Earth's life- support system." Discuss the key similarities and differences in these two kinds of economic sustainability.
