BEYOND THE ECONOMICS OF MORE - THE PLACE OF CONSUMPTION IN ECOLOGICALECONOMICS

The relation between consumption and welfare, generally assumed by ort hodox economists, must be re-examined by ecological economists. Presen t attitudes towards consumption among the latter are often ambiguous, resulting in a modified form of consumerism. Yet questioning the often dubious benefits of consumption is as important for the environmental debate as emphasising its neglected costs. Beyond basic needs satisfa ction, it is at most one's consumption level relative to others which counts for welfare, so that benefits from consumption cannot be increa sed in the aggregate. Thus there is much scope for reducing consumptio n (and thus, environmental costs) while increasing or maintaining welf are. Identifying those goods the consumption of which adds Little or n othing to welfare, and assessing the effect of reducing their consumpt ion on resource use, natural and human, should be a major concern of a n ecological economics aimed at promoting sustainable welfare. (C) 199 8 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.