ECOTOPIA

Abstract of Robert Costanza's Article Visions of Alternative (Unpredictable) Futures and Their Use in Policy Analysis from 2000(!)

"The most critical task facing humanity today is the creation of a shared vision of a sustainable and desirable society, one that can provide permanent prosperity within the biophysical constraints of the real world in a way that is fair and equitable to all of humanity, to other species, and to future generations. Recent work with businesses and communities indicates that creating a shared vision is the most effective engine for change in the desired direction, yet most effort in "futures modeling" has focused on extrapolating past trends rather than envisioning alternative futures. Science and economics as applied to policy are in conflict more often over alternative visions of the world than purely "scientific" disagreements. Likewise, governance has gotten bogged down in mediating short term conflicts between special interests rather than its more basic role of creating broadly shared visions that can guide dispute resolution."

Read the article here http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol4/iss1/art5/manuscript.html

or download the text Four Visions as pdf from the Download section