Book review: A New Blueprint for a Green Economy (2013)

A New Blueprint for a Green Economy, by Edward Barbier and Anil Markandya, builds on work published in 1989, which suggested practical policy measures for making economies greener and creating a path for sustainable development.

The new edition looks at what progress has been made in the years since, as well as assessing where improvements are still needed to create green economies. The first edition argued that in order to achieve sustainable economies three areas must be focussed on – valuing the environment, accounting for the environment and providing incentives for environmental improvement.

The authors state that these objectives are now more important than ever, as the effects of climate change, environmental degradation and energy security, amongst other issues, are worsening.

Whilst the book acknowledges that steps to assess the issues have been taken, it calls for measures that go further and have a wider impact. The book outlines which policies from the original edition have yet to be implemented and why they are still important, as well as highlighting new policies and approaches needed for economic management of today’s environmental concerns.

The practical nature of A New Blueprint for a Green Economy clearly demonstrates a way forward for greening economies around the world.