Joan Martinez-Alier Past-President, Internacional Society for Ecological Economics ICTA, Universitat

Environmental LiabilitiesJoan Martinez-AlierPublic environmental International seminarBarcelona, 16 October 2009auditJoan Martinez-AlierEnvironmental LiabilitiesUniversitatAutonoma de BarcelonaPASIVOS AMBIENTALESBarcelona16 October 2009Two main questions for the Economic-Environmental Auditor would be:First, why should one or another concrete topic be audited? We cannot audit everything. Second, is the topic auditable? I shall remain within this framework.• GDP growth? How much still?• Pluralism of values. Multi-criteria Keywordsassessments• How to measure the socio-ecological transition (MEFA; HANPP)• Externalities as cost shifting: climate change, biodiversity loss…• Green Keynesianism vs. environmental damage from infrastructures• Cost-benefit analysis and the discount rate• Climate change and the Ecological debtEconomic accounting rests on really existing costs and prices. It does not take into account positive or negative externalities.This is true in business firms, public companies and administration, and in macro-economic accounting.Environmental liabilities are not included.Why is GDP growth still “good” (in economies with income per capita of 20 000 €/year)?When a region in Europe in 2009 experiences• a decrease in GDP, • increased unemployment (bad),• decreased emissions of greenhouse gases (good),• less soil sealing (good), … are we worse off or better off?This is a debate that President Sarkozy is now ...