Sustainability Planning: First, Do No Harm

The following is from the article abstract: "Many observers see the world as having "problems" that cry out for "solutions". Yet, more than one wise man has noted that there are no "solutions", only trade-offs. Looked at in this way, many of the "solutions" that fall under the heading "sustainability planning" must be carefully reconsidered.

There is also good news, however. Much of humanity has reached heights of material welfare that were unimaginable just a few generations ago. How we got to where we are demands an explanation. The only one we have points to a virtuous cycle: well-defined property rights beget prosperity and more prosperous people demand clearer property rights. The long-term evolution has not been (could not have been) a smooth one but it is, nevertheless, powerful and must be properly understood. Flexible markets and institutions facilitate the virtuous cycle. Being open-ended, they have been well suited dealing with the inherently unknowable future. The virtuous cycle and sustained growth is the real way to a sustainable future. In contrast, much of proposed "sustainability planning" appears to foreclose options and flexibility -- and real sustainability."

[Editor's note: The link below is to a 500K PDF document.]

Thanks to Chris Steins