Green the World and Grow the Economy?

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/04/opinion/green-the-world-and-grow-the-economy.html

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To the Editor:

Henry M. Paulson Jr., in his essay “How to Raise Trillions” (Op-Ed, Sept. 20), suggests that “countries have the potential to solve some of the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges while still maintaining economic growth.”

Economic growth is the planet’s most pressing environmental challenge. This growth is not sustainable.

It will use our environmental assets faster than our ability to renew them. It’s just a question of how soon the end will occur. The trickle-down, rising tide or invisible hand will not do it.

To prevent this race to oblivion will require a change in lifestyle. This will impose a heavy and delicate demand on our moral resources.

JAMES T. DETTE

Weehawken, N.J.

The writer is a former consultant in geotechnical and applied environmental sciences.

To the Editor:

It is great to see someone like Henry M. Paulson Jr. concerned with greening the world’s economy, and to see him pump up confidence that the resources can be found to do what’s needed. But we won’t see the green economy result from his strategy alone; it is intended for large projects that guarantee returns to large investors.

We need to provide capital and other assistance to the decentralized development of strong local economies, to many small entrepreneurs and to local governments to manage common resources — in short, to all citizens.

The world will not be greened by big business or big money alone, but by whole populations engaged and sharing in the resulting prosperity.

RICK REIBSTEIN

Lexington, Mass.

The writer, a lecturer in environmental law and policy at Boston University and Harvard Extension School, is the author of “Developing Sustainable Environmental Responsibility.”