Moving Toward Steady State Economics

All economies are embedded in and dependent on the biosphere for energy, materials, water and many other ecosystem services. Evidence suggests that the resources and natural systems of our planet cannot sustain unlimited economic expansion. Peak oil, climate change, accelerating species extinction, fresh water scarcity and nuclear power risks are among the more widely discussed threats.

Economic growth has not delivered as promised on full employment, eradication of poverty and environmental protection. A disconnect between rising incomes and happiness is more apparent than ever. For all these reasons, economic growth looks less and less viable as a long-term strategy, especially for rich countries.

Greens advocate for the gradual weaning of our economy away from a dependence on growth toward a steady-state economy that provides opportunities to add value through means other than growth. The Green Economic Plan will create jobs that are sustainable, increase the health and quality of life for future generations, and help create an economy that is resilient against sudden shocks.

While we move through this recession, Greens will spend more money than we take in; however, we are keenly aware that the money we spend today will need to be paid back by our children in the future. The economy of yesterday has placed us in fiscal and ecological deficits that we must work together to overcome.

Key Goals

• Reduce our economy’s dependence on growth and ever- increasing consumption
• Eliminate sources of pollution
• Create meaningful, lasting jobs
• Make better use of our natural resources

BC Greens Will

• Increase taxes on industries and individual practices that cause pollution.
• Decrease taxes on industries and individual practices that promote health
• Create new jobs and stimulate the economy by emphasizing local and regional economies
• Capitalize on the opportunity to build long-lasting infrastructure with a green stimulus package during the recession
• Return to balanced budgets as soon as possible
• Invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency and help shift our economy for the low-carbon demands of the future
• Reform tax structures to ensure competitive value-added industries
• End subsidies to sunset industries that are inefficient and wasteful.
• Create a provincial Green Venture Capital Fund to encourage local green business start-ups to create green- collar jobs in green technologies and renewable energy sectors
• Provide assistance to family farms by supporting companies or co-operatives that offer warehousing, refrigeration, packaging and marketing so they can supply supermarket chains. This will enable small farms to compete with large agri-business.
• Shift government-supported research away from GMOs and energy-intensive agriculture and towards research into making organic food production commercially viable
• Invest in wild fisheries and large scale rehabilitation of habitat and spawning rivers
• Establish additional spaces in technical schools for retraining workers in the installation of solar photo-voltaic systems, geo- exchange home heating and cooling systems, and solar hot water systems and conducting general energy audits and performing minor energy efficiency upgrades
• Create a service program for youth to receive training and provide 6 months of service in repairing environmental damage, restoring natural habitats (including, for example, salmon habitat), building park and recreation infrastructure
• Facilitate First Nations participation as partners in projects that create long-term economic benefits.
• Amend tax policy to allow municipalities to issue municipal bonds that are RRSP-eligible.
• Introduce and enforce amendments to the BC Business Corporations Act to ensure that businesses operate in a manner that positively contributes to social, environmental, and economic prosperity
• Allocate one percent from PST to municipal governments for “Green Cities” initiatives, ensuring that the funding is used to reduce sprawl, generate local green energy, conserve electricity and water, increase densification, expand public transit, and build cycling and walking paths
• Create a BC Legacy Fund from oil and gas royalties in order to provide funds for municipal and community emission reduction programs and energy saving upgrades