Az Eszterházy Károly Tanárképző Főiskola Tudományos Közleményei. 2007. Sectio Scientarium Economicarum et Socialium. (Acta Academiae Agriensis : Nova series ; Tom. 34)
Chambliss Karen-Slotkin Michael H.-Vámosi Alexander R.: A 'javító' fenntarthatóság a'steady-state' fenntarthatóság és a strukturált ökoturizmus
A 'javító' fenntarthatóság.. 19 assets) as a determinant of the ability of future generations to enjoy similar levels of consumption. The basic idea is that non-declining capital stocks should yield non-declining production levels, but implicit in this outlook is the substitutability of physical capital for natural capital. That is, as environmental assets are depleted, the economic returns from liquidation should fuel capital replenishment through physical investment. Doubts about the effective substitutability of physical for natural capital have led to variations on the theme of non-declining aggregate capital stocks. These alternative definitions, as they become more restrictive, allow for decreasing levels of substitutability between man-made and environmental assets. The most restrictive definition, so-called environmental sustainability, prohibits the substitution of physical for natural capital and even requires that physical service flows from natural capital be maintained. 1 By way of illustration, this would entail sustaining catch levels for specific fisheries or water flows from specific water sources, and essentially negates intra-substitutions within the category of natural capital. The more restrictive operational definitions of sustainability appear to be favored by policy advocates and the general public alike; moreover, these sustainability criteria are the drivers of a new outlook towards business and commerce which has ascended in corporate, academic, NGO, and governing bodies during the past twenty years. Referred to under the rubrics of corporate social responsibility, green business, and the triple bottom line, the ethos of sustainability is manifesting itself in profound ways. General Electric's new "Ecomagination" strategy, which among other things specifies an increase in clean technology R&D from USD 700 million to 1.5 billion by 2010 is one example, as is the company's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in 2012 by 40 percent from projected levels. Not to be outdone, the Goldman Sachs Group, a leading financial capital firm, donated some 680,000 acres it acquired via defaulted loans to the Wildlife Conservation Society. The acreage, mostly forest and peat bog, is located in Tierra del Fuego and the gift was made on behalf of the citizens of Chile. Goldman Sachs Chairman and CEO, Hank Paulson, has also promised a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from Goldman assets of 7 percent by 2012, and an investment of USD 1.0 billion in renewable energy projects. 2 It is in the context of the travel and tourism (T&T) industry, however, that the discussion of sustainability is particularly relevant, and for an obvious reason: T&T represents the world's largest industry. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, in 2006 the direct and indirect effects associated with T&T comprise an economic impact of about USD 6.5 trillion and constitutes some 10.3 percent of world GDP. This supports some 235,000,000 jobs or about 8.7 percent of world 1 See Tietenberg (2006) for a thorough but concise discussion on weak, strong, and environmental sustainability. For more details on "Ecomagination" consult the December 10, 2005 edition of The Economist; similarly, the green strategies of Goldman Sachs are profiled in Vanity Fair's Green Issue published during summer 2006. Interestingly, editor Graydon Carter later stated that "...in all [the] years I have never experienced anything like the reception to our 'Green Issue'."
