Economic Growth in the Anthropocene

6 Pages Posted: 31 Jul 2024

Date Written: July 31, 2024

Abstract

The explosion of global economic activity following the Second World War coincides with a new geological time, the Anthropocene, where humans are the main factor in the broader Earth system. A feature of this coincidence is the decumulation of natural capital (wetlands, grasslands, biomes such as the oceans and soils, etc.). To better understand this decumulation and its relation to broader human economic activity, I here focus on the maintenance and regulating services that undergird natural capital (climate regulation, decomposition of waste, nitrogen fixation, etc.). From this focus, I propose a model relating human ecological footprint and stocks of natural capital. I close by offering some policy proposals to regulate this relationship going forward.

Keywords: exhaustible resources and economic development, environment and development, sustainability

JEL Classification: O44, P18, P48, Q51, Q01, Q56

Suggested Citation

Dasgupta, Partha, Economic Growth in the Anthropocene (July 31, 2024). Capitalism & Society, Volume 18, Issue 1 (2024), Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4912064

Partha Dasgupta (Contact Author)

University of Cambridge ( email )

Austin Robinson Building
Sidgwick Avenue
Cambridge, CB3 9DD
United Kingdom
44-(0)1223-335246 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.econ.cam.ac.uk/people/crsid.html?crsid=pd10000&group=emeritus

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
223
Abstract Views
436
Rank
281,431
PlumX Metrics