Abstract

AbstractThis final chapter addresses the future of sustainable development. Given the fact that current consumption in developed countries is unsustainable, and a similar level of consumption in developing countries would be devastating from an environmental perspective, a shift in development is necessary. This chapter touches upon peoples’ human needs and discusses to which extent unsustainable consumption is a necessity for happiness. Alternative approaches to GDP in measuring a country’s success, like Gross National Happiness (BNH) and the Happy Planet Index, are discussed. Shifting focus from an increased consumption of natural resources to more attention on development associated with social issues like well-being, health, and happiness will be addressed. This chapter concludes with how sustainable development and happy people are realistic, but it will require a shift associated with revised business models, metrics, and goals.

Highlights

  • Much of the individual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can be reduced by increasing energy efficiency

  • As 62 percent of greenhouse gas emissions today comes from fossil fuels, it will take time before we have replaced this with low or zero CO2 emission alternatives

  • With sustainable development, but we need to price products in such a way that includes the external costs of negative environmental impacts and the social costs

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Summary

Introduction

For society as a whole to become sustainable will require major reductions in energy consumption. Even though new technologies have increased energy efficiency tremendously, many sustainability challenges are escalating. With sustainable development, but we need to price products in such a way that includes the external costs of negative environmental impacts and the social costs.

Results
Conclusion

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