Eco-economics and the Market System

Eco-economics and the market system
by David Haenke

Part 3 of Ecological Economics and Bioregionalism, a cornerstone document for creating a regenerative economy.
Ecological principles, internalized into businesses and
production enterprises, in any nation, can offer viability
with ecological integrity, while removing or substantially
mitigating social and ecological destructiveness from
market and production activity.

When ecological principles are applied to economics, a
number of otherwise intractable problems are illumined and
made soluble. These include: the rationale and methodology
for internal self-regulation for economic enterprises (with-
out relying on government); the nature and criteria for
appropriate, responsible growth (which sectors of a given
economy should shrink, and which should expand); resource
depletion; optimal scales of production and distribution.

It is obvious that the market systems around the world
are going to have to undergo a basic greening. It is in the
interest of corporate leaders to look as far ahead as possible
now, not only for the good of their companies, but for the
nations and the critically threatened ecologies that make possi-
ble their very existence. Now that market economics has, glo-
bally, become virtually "the only game in town," the necessity
for effective, responsible corporate leadership and stewardship
is imperative.