What price the environment? John Walker Senior Research Analyst West Midlands Regional Observatory

Fit for the future Two chapters two views Very different perspectives Challenging ideas

Two chapters two views

Very different perspectives

Challenging ideas

How to make our economy grow… “ Many of these anti-growth feelings are wrapped up in the idea of the green new deal, which seeks that progress and development be restricted to areas that can be proven to do no harm to the planet” “ Any threat to the environment or indeed any other challenge we face, is best dealt with by encouraging scientific and economic development on a broad front” “ Even on the terms of alternative energy itself, encouraging economic growth offers the best way forward.”

“ Many of these anti-growth feelings are wrapped up in the idea of the green new deal, which seeks that progress and development be restricted to areas that can be proven to do no harm to the planet”

“ Any threat to the environment or indeed any other challenge we face, is best dealt with by encouraging scientific and economic development on a broad front”

“ Even on the terms of alternative energy itself, encouraging economic growth offers the best way forward.”

Sustainability & Recovery: digging the West Midlands out of recession “… a deeper and broader idea of sustainability than just carbon reduction can hold the key to a surer and better kind of recovery.” “ Nothing is more fundamental to human wellbeing than food.” “ The crash now gives us both the space and the motivation to rethink what progress and prosperity should really be.”

“… a deeper and broader idea of sustainability than just carbon reduction can hold the key to a surer and better kind of recovery.”

“ Nothing is more fundamental to human wellbeing than food.”

“ The crash now gives us both the space and the motivation to rethink what progress and prosperity should really be.”

Protecting the environment Should we put a value on the environment? Competing on a level playing field Allow a business decision to be made Comparing like to like

Should we put a value on the environment?

Competing on a level playing field

Allow a business decision to be made

Comparing like to like

How to do it? Monatisation? What methods exist? R-ISEW

How to do it?

Monatisation?

What methods exist?

R-ISEW

What is the R-ISEW? Measures the portion of economic activity which delivers genuine increases in our quality of life; Monetarised indicator of economic well-being and quality of life; Measuring success in achieving sustainable economic growth; Chosen as one of the six headline indicators to measure the performance of the West Midlands Economic Strategy (WMES);

Measures the portion of economic activity which delivers genuine increases in our quality of life;

Monetarised indicator of economic well-being and quality of life;

Measuring success in achieving sustainable economic growth;

Chosen as one of the six headline indicators to measure the performance of the West Midlands Economic Strategy (WMES);

West Midlands R-ISEW and GVA per capita 1994-2006 Source: ONS regional accounts, ISEW

Contacts West Midlands Regional Observatory 2009 John Walker t: 0121 202 3246 e: john.walker@wmro.org website: www.wmro.org blog: http://wmro.wordpress.com Level 3, Millennium Point, Curzon Street, Birmingham, B4 7XG.