Nhung Nguyen

The new “passive revolution” is one of the most challenged article that I have read in this course. Warner argued that green growth is the adjustment of capitalism to adapt with the change of economic situation, especially the global financial crisis.

The author highlighted that the green growth as a new “passive revolution” of capitalist hegemony, as sustainability through “getting the economy right”, as the neo-liberalization of nature continues, as the adjustment of capitalism, and with two myths of decoupling and limited growth and no trade off between environment and growth.

Warner quoted from World Bank and other sources that:

[…] economy and its economy-focused approach reshape civil society and state and civil society and market interactions in the form of ‘green consumerism’ where individuals have to play their part in sustainability as environmentally and economically rational agents for green growth. This ‘citizenship of the market’ through sustainable consumption and green consumerism does not challenge the dominant power structures of the economic and political system (Seyfang 2005: 296, 297). This approach, as shown in more detail later, does not alter the dominant society–nature and human–nature relationships inherent capitalist market societies (p.29).

However, it seems to me that, there are no “green” consumerism. Consumerism is created to establish the market for capitalism, shorten the product life circle, and to maximize the profit for manufacturers. Consumerism thus accomplices with natural resources, waste and environmental contamination. The needs is not only “greenize” consumerism, but also “re-construct the idea of consumers about the phenomenon”.

Regarding the myth of decoupling green growth from general economic proceed, I individually do not agree with the authors. It seems to me that the concept of decouplization is misused here. This section of the article recalled me to the book “constructive news”, a great book about the development and challenges of modern media. The author content that instead of overly focus on “the crime, disaster, crooks and victims”, journalists need balancing information by something good, something works and bring people hope.

The author continued to present a story about a Netherland, who rescued his farm of pig with using more “good bacteria” rather than antibiotic. The increase of “good” bacteria helped to repress “bad bacteria”. The main idea of this should be instead of killing “bad bacteria”, people can focus on “rising good” bacteria. Therefore, it is not necessary to decouple green growth from the whole economic. The more important is finding the best model for green growth and economy.

With regards to the critic “there are no trade off between environment and growth”, I individually agree with the author. To me, green economy and sustainable development is not a zero-sum game. However, the main issue is that people need to limit their greed. The Earth can not afford for unlimited demand of all people.

There is a Vietnamese well-known anonymous quotation that “Lùi một bước trời cao biển rộng” (Take a step back to see a wider vision), which can be interpreted as the motto for sustainable development. It means to get long term benefits, sometimes people need to delay enjoying the shorter ones. People can not get all from the earth to satisfy their own ambitious. People want to enjoy the freedom of choice, but they also need to respect the rights to choose of other people and the rights of the nature.

Reference

Wanner, T. (2015). The New ‘Passive Revolution’ of the Green Economy and Growth Discourse: Maintaining the ‘Sustainable Development’ of Neoliberal Capitalism. New Political Economy, 20(1), pp. 21-41

Haagerup, U. (2014). Constructive News. Geneve: InnoVatio Publishing.