THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK OF AN ECOLOGICAL DEBT CONCEPT
D. Gorobchenko
SumyStateUniversity, Sumy, Ukraine
The concept of ecological debt (ED) was developed in 1990th and became the result of studying problems of interaction between nature and society. The precondition of the concept rising are contradictions in social and economic relations, then the achievement of sustainable development by one subjects can be carried out at the expense of such achievement potential by other subjects.
Various researches in this field can supplement one another, or in some cases contradict each other. It is caused by the absence of the standard widespread theoretical, methodological and methodical frameworks of the concept. Furthermore, the concept has been developed by western scientists and scientists from the former USSR independently from each other since the concept rising 20 years ago. Therefore, synthesis of accumulated knowledge into unified theoretical and methodological basis has not been promoted.
Common features of ED definition of western scientists are the following [1]: appropriation and excessive use of natural resources with the best quality by developed countries for satisfaction of their internal demand; extraction and use of natural resources by industrial countries; irrational use of air resources and resources of world ocean; manufacture of chemical, biological, toxic and nuclear weapon; change of information substance of nature; compelling Third World countries the necessity of extensive use of natural resources etc.
The opinion of scientists from former USSR about ED concept content is the same in general. It is the deep crisis in social and environmental relations. However, scientists highlight the problem of ED economic estimation. ED is defined as indebtedness of society to nature expressed in monetary form [2]. It can be calculated as lost of national wealth because of nature state deterioration. Also two approaches are allocated: humanitarian and utilitarian. According to these approaches ED can be paid off only by restoration of the broken natural objects, and also by acknowledging human’s guilt of nature degradation [3].
Thus, we have allocated the following essence of “ecological debt” category which does not contradict with other researches and consists in the following. ED reveals in social, economic and ecological relations of various social groups in spatial and temporal continuum when achievement of sustainable development purposes by one social group is carried out at the expense of wrong use of potential of social and economic development by others. Also we offer the following definition. Ecological debt – is conditionally estimated level of changes in a condition of the surrounding environment, caused by eco-destructive activity of economic subjects in the territory of the certain country which should be liquidated (compensated) for achievement of sustainable development purposes.
References
1. ParedisE., LambrechtJ., GoeminneG., VanhoveW. Elaboration of the Concept of Ecological Debt. Final Report. – Gent, Belgium: Centre for Sustainable Development, 2004.
2. Моделированиесоцио-эколого-экономическойсистемырегиона / Подред. В.И.Гурмана, Е.В.Рюминой. – М.: Наука, 2003. – 175с.
3. Копытов А.П. Экологический долг в системе взаимодействия экономики с природой : Дис. ... канд. экон. наук : 08.00.01 Челябинск, 2006 148 с. РГБ ОД, 61:06-8/2611