John Giordanengo, Principal, Economic Restoration Services & Co-founder, Economic Restoration Institute
Following the 1970s great recession, the blossoming of global market capitalism was led by the United States, which remains a dominant superpower. Modern approaches to sustainability were rooted in this globalization era, without questioning the root causes of chronic social and environmental challenges faced by a growing number of nations and communities across the Earth. The 21st century is predicted by economists and politicians to be highly turbulent, a condition that will not favor sustainability and conservation paradigms of the past.
Drawing from three decades of research and practice in business, economics, ecology, and conservation, John H. Giordanengo takes a cross-cutting approach to evaluate three foundational (governing) components of ecosystems and economies—diversity, energy, and trade. The identification of our economy’s foundational components, and the dynamic relationships between them, has lacked attention from economists, sustainability advocates, politicians, and academic programs since the birth of capitalism. This talk presents not only fresh perspectives on the structure of a sustainable economy, but traditional and nontraditional measures of economic productivity, the role of economic succession in stimulating diversity and productivity, an ecological explanation of the wealth gap, and the natural geography of a sustainable economy.
Other concepts will include the role of diversity in conferring resilience and productivity to an economy, and the challenges and opportunities of an energy neutral economy. In closing, this lecture outlines a path for economic restoration, as informed by our collective knowledge of ecological restoration. Case studies from the U.S., Ecuador, Mexico, Sri Lanka, and Italy are covered. A new definition of sustainability will be provided, reflecting the notion that a sustainable economy cannot be attained with just half the population (just environmental and social advocates), and that periods of disturbance favor evolved models, not those of the past.