Population, Environment and Economic Growth: a Sociological Perspective
- Autores: Francesco Chiarello, Fulvio Beato
- Localización: Theomai: estudios sobre sociedad, naturaleza y desarrollo, ISSN-e 1515-6443, Nº. 1, 2000
- Idioma: español
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Resumen
The paper reviews the scientific debate that has been developed around the major causes of the environmental crisis, starting from two polarized positions: the environmental distress as an effect of the demograpfhic pressure (Hardin, Ehrlich) or as a consequence og the economic patterns of production and consumption (Commoner). The paper holds that the relationships between population and environment can be fully explained only if the social patterns of economic growth are taken into account. Referring to this debate, a sociological approach is proposed that is based on the 'new ecological paradigm' and on the concept of 'carrying capacity' critically regarded as a social science concept. We also discuss the notion of sustainable development and we suggest that is to be understood in terms of 'steady state', that is in terms of a process where the use of environmental resources for production and consumption has to be intended not as vaguely limited, but as equal to the regenerative capacity of the environment."
