Econ Log – Solutions for Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is a complicated issue that will only be solved with a combination of many different solutions. Key aspects of this plan should include solid caps for greenhouse gas emissions, carbon taxes, subsidies for clean energy instead of for fossil fuels, education and incentives for clean energy like certifications. These are all types of institutional change that are very important in encouraging behavior change for consumers. Technology is also an important aspect of sustainable development and should be explored deeply, but not relied on to solve all of the problems.
Right now, the most important step towards sustainable development is for people to strongly encourage their leaders to enact restrictive policies for carbon emissions and incentives for clean energy development. Since the science shows that we need to have less than 350 ppm of carbon in the atmosphere to avoid passing crucial tipping points for our earth’s climate, we need to be shifting developed countries towards clean energy and helping developing countries to invest in clean energy instead of dirty energy sources like coal and fossil fuels.
On an individual level, consumers need to be making informed choices about what they buy, and more importantly, what they don’t buy. Cutting back on consumption is the best way to reach a more sustainable lifestyle.