“The Green Economy” by Mark Wilson

In his article “The Green Economy: The Dangerous Path of Nature Commoditization”, Wilson explores the possible difficulties that can be met on the way to implementation of the ideas described in the paper “Towards a Green Economy – Pathways to Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication” prepared by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). The analysis of the article reveals that the author has managed to present a well-grounded argumentation for his position and encourage the readers to learn more about the specifics of the process of dealing with environmental issues.

The focus of the article is the relevancy of the green economy proposed by UNEP and the flaws of such a strategy in relation to decreasing environmental degradation and eliminating persistent poverty. The author provides an in-depth analysis of the main weaknesses of the Green Economy and attracts the reader’s attention to such factors as the impossibility of efficient pricing of natural services, the inadequacy of the consideration of the rebound effect, the possible primacy of the economics over the environment, the high possibility of discrimination for environmental services for those who have low income, and the failure of current models of enhancing environmental safeguarding. Besides, the author argues against the commoditization of nature (Wilson 7).

The article can be considered rather persuasive as the author uses an abundance of relevant arguments to support his position. Wilson uses numerous valid studies providing qualitative data on the discussed topic and in such a way provides a well-developed ground for his assumptions. Besides, the author frequently appeals to the reader’s emotions by using rhetorical questions. The persuasiveness of the article is also enhanced by the fact that the author does not only criticize the discussed project but suggests possible more effective alternatives able to solve the problem.

The ideas presented by Wilson strengthen my way of seeing environmental issues. I agree that the key to dealing with the environmental crisis and poverty is not related to purely economic tools. Many authors state that the most powerful method of changing the current situation is encouraging individuals to re-evaluate what is most important in our societies and become more environmentally conscious (Jackson 17; Leib 11).

Though the economics is an important tool that can be used for overcoming the current environmental crisis, it should be used only combined with making legal protection, socio-ecological interactions, etc. more effective (Keohane and Olmstead 19; Smith 3). While UNEP describes the proposed methods of moving towards the green economy as effective ones, the negative consequences of the commoditization of natural resources appear to debunk such strategy as a harmful one (37).

The ideas presented by Wilson fit the theme of the potential ways of reducing the environmental crisis. The author helps to learn more about the drawbacks of the strategies that were used in the past and the great danger of leaving such flaws undetected. If we do not analyze the previous mistakes properly, we risk making decisions that will lead to the repeated implementation of methods that are not only ineffective but also rather ruinous.

The analysis of the article written by Wilson reveals that the author uses effective methods of making his paper persuasive and well-grounded. Wilson does not only provide well-reasoned critics for UNEP’s project but also encourages the reader to search for comprehensive solutions to environmental problems and do not repeat the mistakes made by humankind in the past.

Works Cited

Jackson, Tim. Prosperity without Growth: Economics for a Finite Planet, New York: Earthscan, 2009. Print.

Keohane, Nathaniel, and Sheila Olmstead. Markets and the Environment, Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2007. Print.

Leib, Linda Hajjar. Human Rights and the Environment: Philosophical, Theoretical and Legal Perspectives, Leiden, The Netherlands: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 2011. Print.

Smith, Steven. Environmental Economics: A Very Short Introduction, New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. Print.

UNEP. Towards a Green Economy – Pathways to Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication. 2011. Web.

Wilson, Mark. “The Green Economy: The Dangerous Path of Nature Commoditization.” Consilience: The Journal of Sustainable Development 10.1 (2013): 85-98. Web.

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