New Books in Economics Jack Buffington, "Environmental Innovation: An Action Plan for Saving the Economy and the Planet by 2050" (Rowman & Littlefield, 2024)
Aug 24, 2025
In this discussion, Jack Buffington, a Program Director at the University of Denver and Sustainability Director at First Key Consulting, challenges the conventional environmental policies that tackle symptoms rather than root causes. He emphasizes the need for a holistic approach to sustainability that balances economic growth with environmental protection. Buffington also delves into the importance of global cooperation, innovative solutions for agricultural water challenges, and contrasts different governance models, stressing the need for disruptive policy changes to foster true sustainability.
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Human Limits On Global Action
- Humans evolved to solve tribe-level problems, not global ones, which limits climate cooperation.
- Paleolithic emotions and medieval institutions struggle to manage godlike modern technology.
Environment And Economy Are Linked
- Most people living with economic stress choose short-term survival over environmental ideals.
- Solving environmental issues requires simultaneously raising living standards in Asia and Africa.
Redefine Growth To Preserve Nature
- Growth itself isn't the enemy; the definition of growth must change to be sustainable.
- Urban consolidation and poverty reduction can stabilize population and free land to heal.
