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#BattleFest2016: Are greens the enemies of progress?
Listen to the introductory remarks from last week's Battle of Ideas satellite in Amsterdam
We are living longer, healthier and richer lifes than ever
before. These trends have already spread to billions of people in poorer
countries. But are the costs of all this progress beginning to outweigh
the benefits? Greens worry that the Earth cannot sustain our desire for
more, more, more. Do their worries halt progress?
Some believe that environmental concerns have gone too far, putting a
brake on growth, especially in poor countries. Are the world’s poor
only allowed to experience ‘sustainable’ development? Lately, a new
brand of greens is emerging. These so-called ‘eco-modernists’ believe
the planet can be ecologically vibrant even with many billions more
people living a good life - if only we would use our scientific
knowledge to steward the world’s resources. But can science also tell us
what kind of balance is desirable between allowing humanity to flourish
while preserving the natural world? Maybe in the end, most people
simply do not care that much about nature. And what is a good life
anyway?
Has the modern idea of progress outlived its usefulness? Do we need
new ways of understanding progress, or is it environmentalism that needs
an overhaul? And what role do greens play in this debate? Do they want
to halt progress, or simply to redefine it? Or might their redefinition
be another way of halting development? Is progress ultimately a myth?
SPEAKERS
Brendan O’Neill
editor, spiked; columnist, Big Issue; contributor, Spectator
Frank Mulder
researcher, writer and journalist; ; columnist, De Groene Amsterdammer; author, De geluksmachine (The Happiness Machine)
Ted Nordhaus
chairman, Breakthrough Institute
Joris Thijssen
campaigns director, Greenpeace Netherlands
To find out more about this year’s festival and buy tickets visit the Battle of Ideas website.
View all episodes
By academyofideas
3.9
77 ratings
Listen to the introductory remarks from last week's Battle of Ideas satellite in Amsterdam
We are living longer, healthier and richer lifes than ever
before. These trends have already spread to billions of people in poorer
countries. But are the costs of all this progress beginning to outweigh
the benefits? Greens worry that the Earth cannot sustain our desire for
more, more, more. Do their worries halt progress?
Some believe that environmental concerns have gone too far, putting a
brake on growth, especially in poor countries. Are the world’s poor
only allowed to experience ‘sustainable’ development? Lately, a new
brand of greens is emerging. These so-called ‘eco-modernists’ believe
the planet can be ecologically vibrant even with many billions more
people living a good life - if only we would use our scientific
knowledge to steward the world’s resources. But can science also tell us
what kind of balance is desirable between allowing humanity to flourish
while preserving the natural world? Maybe in the end, most people
simply do not care that much about nature. And what is a good life
anyway?
Has the modern idea of progress outlived its usefulness? Do we need
new ways of understanding progress, or is it environmentalism that needs
an overhaul? And what role do greens play in this debate? Do they want
to halt progress, or simply to redefine it? Or might their redefinition
be another way of halting development? Is progress ultimately a myth?
SPEAKERS
Brendan O’Neill
editor, spiked; columnist, Big Issue; contributor, Spectator
Frank Mulder
researcher, writer and journalist; ; columnist, De Groene Amsterdammer; author, De geluksmachine (The Happiness Machine)
Ted Nordhaus
chairman, Breakthrough Institute
Joris Thijssen
campaigns director, Greenpeace Netherlands
To find out more about this year’s festival and buy tickets visit the Battle of Ideas website.
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