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Stockholm Statement cited as evidence of shifts in economic thinking


The Guardian journalist Greg Jericho has released a new piece on environmental sustainability in which he argues that, in Australia, economics and politics doesn’t cope well with the issue of climate change.

He refers to the Stockholm Statement to evidence how economists are realizing that climate change must be considered an essential component of policies towards economic growth. The idea is strengthened by the author when quoting one of the main principles of the statement: ‘Environmental Sustainability is a Requirement, Not an Option’.

The piece is in follow up to Jericho’s earlier article about the views of former Work Bank Chief Economist, Kaushik Basu, on the backlashes of globalization and automation. These perspectives were complemented by the inclusive growth principles included in the Stockholm Statement, which Basu signed along with 12 fellow development economists.

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About the Stockholm Statement

Thirteen of the world's leading development economists signed the Stockholm Statement in late 2016, which summarizes what they see as the core principles for development policy-making going forward. In their view, inequality within countries is threatening social cohesion and economic progress, and development needs to be seen in a broader perspective in order to achieve more equitable and sustainable results.

The Statement is based on two days of intense discussions held in Stockholm to review and assess the challenges faced by today’s economic policy makers. The meeting was hosted by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the World Bank on 16-17 September 2016.