We need to take the development path
On the direction which economic growth is likely to take in the future, considering the fact that reconciling it with environmental protection has been one of the greatest challenges of the latter half of this century:
Unfortunately, the world is still trying to solve its problems by growing more. I think we need to back off and take what I call the development path. Growth is a quantitative increase in material things while development is a qualitative improvement in the way they are used. We need to switch to progress that would be oriented towards qualitative improvement.
On where he sees the US headed:
I am afraid the us is still very much committed to the growth path. We have not yet been able to force ourselves to economise on energy, by passing a simple energy tax. So we have a long way to go. There are some signs that we are beginning to rise to the occasion because the Commission on Sustainable Development has at least advocated the use of taxation to improve the environment and calls for the stabilisation of population. We in the us need to shift specially towards the ethics of self-sufficiency and lowering of consumption.
On whether development without growth is sustainable development:
Sustainable development is qualitative improvement minus the kind of growth that pushes the capacity of the ecosystem beyond its limits.
On where he thinks lies the problem of sustainable development
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