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Contents:

1 - The economic costs of ecological deficits; 2 - Eco-economy indicators: 12 trends to track; 3 - Eco-economy updates.

Review:

At first sight the reader might be forgiven for seeing this as a collection of key articles in global environmental politics. Closer inspection shows that it is the work of the Earth Policy Institute, an organisation set up by Lester Brown who would be best known to readers as a key writer with the Worldwatch Institute's excellent State of the World series. Wondering where Brown went to we now find he has moved into a new area with the EPI. So this text is less a collection of older papers than a review of key aspects of sustainable practices in producing what Brown refers to as the 'eco-economy' - a way of producing income without reducing the Earth's natural capital. Thus his focus has moved away from merely reporting towards using this information to promote a specific angle. With this comes the question of whether the data are as good and whether the arguments put forward stand scrutiny.

In some ways the text is a follow-up of an earlier publication, Eco-economy which appears to have laid out the basic thesis upon which this current work is built. The first part of the text contains three case studies described in detail. The first highlights the problems China is facing with its rapidly changing economy. Dust storms are now common place but the real impact comes not from the loss of land but the fact this is affecting other nations such as N/S Korea and Japan. The cost is not just dust but disruption to other nations' economies and also from the potential demand China will have if its own crop systems fail. The second case looks at food and food security. As such, this topic is hardly new, since environmental security has been on the international agenda for over 20 years but what we see here is a new approach considering the loss and degradation of soil and the increasing demand for water to help grow crops in otherwise marginal areas. It does not help that much of the production is centred on animal production - a wasteful conversion of high quality plant material such as soybeans at the best of times. The third study is global warming. Like the previous study there is little dwelling on past ideas - the aim is to show how economic benefits can run with environmental quality. In the case of energy the obvious choice is alternative sources such as solar and wind power. Again, another old topic but one brought up to date with new examples and data. Encouragingly, some of the previous cost barriers have been broken so there is little to stand in the way of these schemes. Part two harks back to the 2001 publication of Eco-economy. With a subtitle of '12 trends to track' we can be certain that a good range of indicators will be given. We start with a look at rising population and faltering economies. After this we are told that harvests of grain, fish and forest products are, at best, stabilising and usually declining. The final three trends could be seen as part of the plus side with the increases in wind power, bicycles and solar cells. Part three continues with the older text but provides us with a series of updates (or at least, re-writes). In all, 20 examples are noted, grouped into 5 sections: energy and climate; population and health; food, land and water; forests, fisheries and disappearing species; and ecological economics. Each example has a few pages to show what has happened.

This is an interesting book. It continues Brown's standard of writing which has been regarded for many years as an exemplar for students. The initial case studies give a detailed overview of major environmental changes (and a significant section for notes at the end of the text helps readers find more detailed sources). The 12 trends idea is a useful introduction to the way in which some areas are experiencing environmental degradation although more positive examples could have been chosen. The final part is an extension of the earlier text with apparently few additions. Against this one must set the fact that few readers would have a background in earlier examples of eco-economy or sustainable development. This text puts forward a perspective and the cases chosen highlight both downsides and upsides of the changes we face. As such it is an excellent example which provides the reader with a wide range of cases upon which to draw. It would provide considerable stimulus to discussions in environmental economics, politics, technology etc. As with most of Brown's work it is thoughtful and well put together. It should be seen as a key text which deserves a wide readership.