Competing Green visions for the economy

Also the second day of the European Green Congress was devoted to Green economic visions. In a penal debate, party representatives from across Europe discussed their competing ideas. While all speakers seemed to agree that external costs need to be internalised into the price of a product or service using for instance consumer taxes, other issues were more contested.

Martin Bursik, Green Minister of Environment in the Czech Republic and Ralf Fücks from the German Böll Foundation advocated a market-based approach. Philippe Defeyt from Belgium caused a fierce debate when he proposed to consider the concept of flat taxes as means of equal taxing and preventing richer people from taking advantage of loopholes in tax legislation, a possibility people with less income often dont have.

Two women, Miriam Kennet from the Green Economic Institute in the UK and Tarja Cronberg, Green Minister of Labour of Finland underlined the importance of not only focusing on economic growth measured in GDP. Instead, happiness and quality of life should be the main preoccupation of the government. In the UK for instance, the 5th largest economy of the world, the young people rank lowest when it comes to their personal perception of happiness with their circumstances of life. Tarja Cronberg counts a secure basic income, decent work conditions and more quality time as important factors to achieve more happiness. A complete re-conceptualisation of the economy including rewarding work in households, for the community the society.

Janna from Vienna