Radical Ecological Economics and Accounting to Save the Planet: The Failure of Mainstream Economists

Neoclassical economists' solutions and tools for environmental issues are ineffective, and ecological accounting methods must be adopted to address the climate crisis. This book presents a critique of traditional economic approaches and proposes an anti-capitalist ecological accounting toolkit to promote sustainable solutions.

Format: Hardback
Length: 136 pages
Publication date: 18 August 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The solutions and tools commonly offered to policymakers on environmental issues, such as carbon pricing and environmental taxation, often originate from neoclassical economists. However, this book argues that these tools are ineffective for the task at hand and must be replaced by methods from the realm of ecological accounting.

The work is organized into four main themes:

Presentation and Criticism: This section provides a comprehensive presentation and critical analysis of the tools traditionally proposed by neoclassical economists. It adopts a historical perspective to trace the evolution of these tools and explores some of the theoretical criticisms that have been leveled against them.

Mainstream Economists' Ignorance: The book highlights how mainstream economists have deviated from more pragmatic and efficient solutions due to their lack of understanding of the realities of management, particularly corporate accounting, and their ideologically driven desire to avoid challenging the capitalist model.

Anti-Capitalist Ecological Accounting Toolkit: This section outlines a toolkit of anti-capitalist ecological accounting methods that offer distinct advantages for addressing the environmental crises we are facing. It showcases the potential of these tools to promote sustainability and mitigate the impacts of capitalism on the planet.

Concrete Possibilities for Rapid Application: The book considers the practical possibilities of a rapid application of these new tools to combat the immediate threats we are facing. It explores the potential barriers and challenges to implementing anti-capitalist ecological accounting and suggests strategies for overcoming them.

This book is of interest to a wide range of readers, including those in ecological economics and accounting, as well as policymakers, activists, and anyone concerned about the environmental challenges we face today. By adopting a holistic and interdisciplinary approach, the book provides valuable insights into the potential for anti-capitalist ecological accounting to contribute to cooling and saving the planet.

Weight: 420g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032300276