It’s a seductive story, for sure. While the economic theory behind it might be redundant for economists and market experts, it seems that the doughnut is a tool that prompts (possibly again to no avail, if I read Alberto well) some action.
Probably new capitalist companies, like we see happening in food innovation. They start out meeting some needs, but they can be equally challenged - is Impossible Foods with their fake meat really providing a sustainable food? Not quite, as they are already challenged on the grounds of using GMO ingredients and other additives in their patties. So yes, if the doughnut will be implemented in a capitalist system, it’s probably that it will create new winners, and same losers. But is its net effect positive? It seems like it, at least because it engages thinking differently about the problems and offers new opportunities for some communities. All communities? Again, we will have to wait to see if Amsterdam’s process goes somewhere.
Agree… [sigh].
Would welcome inputs from others like @anncassano who in another context wrote about exclusion in the city, @Nathalia who worked with Amsterdam City, and finally @PDP@shravan who look at sustainability from the experience of working in capitalism and with capitalists, one way or another
I am just reading these new inputs in the loop, and thoughts at a glance follow…
It is indeed an impressive and lofty concept, as seen before.
In perspective, where are we not as a community. ???
Are people more aware - are organisations adjusting to more sustainable solutions - looking at what is ahead and/or not- what do we as a community about it??
Next to research, is it not again momentum to act in the interest of cooperation and evolve differently form the past to address the same issues that have always been ?
That depends on the question: what is “net” in “net effect” relative to? Consider:
Net effect of Doughnut = Effect of Doughnut - Effect of doing nothing
Net effect of Doughtnut = Effect of Doughnut - Effect of Green New Deal (AOC version)
Net effect of Doughnut = Effect of Doughnut - Effect of Green New Deal (MMT version)
1 is certainly positive. 2 and 3 could be positive or negative – that’s a complicated call to make.
But what we do know is that, in the past, calls for sustainable development have yielded little gain, whereas New Deal-type moves have had a dramatic effect. Of course, this time could be different.
And of course, none of this invalidates that doing good work on city or region is valuable. But you need to ask yourself: what is the added value of the doughnut visualization on that plan? Is anything being done that a 1980s environmentalist would not have done? Real question, I have not read the Amsterdam plan.
Yes, Nadia, it’s a thing – and here is a progress report. Keep in mind that the report is in the Guardian, a newspaper which would not be inclined to take a dispassionate approach. Still… here:
Has rigorous research been carried out on the results of the Amsterdam experiment? All we have so far is enthusiasts enthusing – and that does not demonstrate success. Maybe one year during a pandemic is not enough time to tell…
Here is a very interesting 2019 book on economics and the environment, published in mid-2019 (It is available for free download):
