Rikard Warlenius

In the contemporary dual crisis, economic crisis policies cannot be dealt with in isolation from the rampant and acute ecological crisis – and vice versa. In this article, we challenge the hegemonic positions in purported attempts to solve the crises so far: in the economic realm, the Keynesian episode of 2008–2009 as well as austerity policies, and with regard to the ecological crisis, ecological modernization and green economy. Instead, we will propose that both the economic and the climate crises can be ‘solved’ through the destruction of a particular kind of capital, that is, fossil capital. Given that capital destruction in general seems to be an essential part of overcoming capitalist crises historically and given the urgent need to demolish large parts of the fossil infrastructure in order to avert climate change, we discuss in this article the possibilities to politically steer the processes of creative destruction so that crises policies benefit the economy and the environment to highest possible extent.

ABSTRACT The ecological debt concept emerged in the early 1990s from within social movements driven by rising environmental awareness, emerging Western consciousness of responsibility for past colonial subjugations, and a general sense of unease during the debt crisis. First developed organically, mainly in locally-scaled, civil contexts, ecological debt has since gained attention in academia and international environmental negotiations. Now, the concept of ecological debt requires further elucidation and elaboration, especially in light of its historical interconnection with environmental justice. In this paper, the development of the concept of ecological debt in both activist and academic circles is described, proposed theoretical building blocks for its operationalization are discussed and three brief cases illustrating its recent utilization are presented. Ecological debt is built upon a theoretical foundation that draws on biophysical accounting systems, ecological economics, environmental justice and human rights, historical injustices and restitution, and an ecologically-oriented world-system analysis framework. Drawing on these building blocks, the concept of ecological debt has been used as a biophysical measure, a legal instrument and a distributional principle. In theory and in practice, it has much to offer the environmental justice movement. We conclude by reflecting on some of the pros and cons of the ecological debt concept as a tool to be used in fulfilling some of the goals of environmental justice movements in the world today.

The ecological debt concept emerged in the early 1990s from within social movements driven by rising environmental awareness, emerging consciousness of Western responsibility for past colonial subjugations, and a general sense of injustice during the third world debt crisis. First developed organically, mainly in
locally-scaled, civil contexts, ecological debt has since gained attention in academia and international environmental negotiations.

The concept of ecological debt requires further elucidation and
elaboration, especially in light of its historical interconnection with environmental justice. In this paper, the development of the concept of ecological debt in both activist and academic circles is described, theoretical building blocks for its operationalisation
are discussed and three brief cases illustrating its recent utilisation are presented.

Drawing on these building blocks, the concept of ecological debt has been used as a biophysical measure, a legal instrument and a distributional principle. In theory and in practice, it has much to offer to the global environmental justice movement. We conclude by reflecting on some of the pros and cons of the ecological debt concept as a tool to be used in fulfilling some of the goals of environmental justice movements in the world today.

Artikkelen ser kort på utviklingen til den nåværende krisen, og diskuterer
ødeleggelse og devaluering av kapital som sentralt for å «løse» økonomiske kriser. Så ser den på sammenhenger mellom den økologiske og økonomiske krisen, og hvorfor en grønn kapitalisme sannsynligvis er en umulighet. Til slutt fire forslag til reformer.

Ecological debt is usually conceptualized as the accumulated result of different kinds of uneven flows of natural resources and waste, but these flows are seldom referred to as ecologically unequal exchange. Ecologically unequal exchange, on the other hand, is usually defined as different flows of resources and waste, but the accumulated results of these flows are seldom referred to as ecological debt. In this article, influential definitions and conceptualizations of ecological debt and ecologically unequal exchange are compared and the notions linked together analytically with a stock-flow perspective. A particular challenge is presented by emissions of substances that have global consequences, most importantly carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. They form part of ecologically unequal exchange, but what is unequal is not the exchange of resources or energy, but the appropriation of the sinks that absorb these substances. New concepts, unequal sink appropriation and the more specific carbon sink appropriation are proposed as a way of highlighting this distinction.

La dette écologique est généralement conceptualisée comme le résultat cumulé des différents types de flux inégale des ressources naturelles et des déchets, mais ces flux sont rarement appelé «échange écologiquement inégal». L'échange ecologiquement inégal, d'autre part, est généralement définie comme différents flux de ressources et des déchets, mais les résultats cumulés de ces flux sont rarement appelés «dette écologique». Dans cet article, les définitions et les conceptualisations des deux termes sont compares, et les notions liées à une perspective stock-flux. Un défi particulier est les émissions de substances qui ont des conséquences mondiales, surtout le dioxyde de carbone et d'autres gaz à effet de serre. Ils font partie de l'échange écologiquement inégal, mais ce qui est inégale est pas l'échange de ressources ou de l'énergie, mais l'appropriation des puits ('sinks') qui absorbent ces substances. De nouveaux concepts, «appropriation des puits inégal» et «appropriation de puits de carbone» sont proposées comme un moyen de mettre en évidence cette distinction.

Se entiende habitualmente por deuda ecológica el resultado acumulado de distintos flujos desiguales de recursos naturales y de residuos aunque esos flujos no se siempre se describan como "comercio ecológicamente desigual." Por otro lado, se llama comercio o intercambio ecológicamente desigual a los distintos flujos de recursos y residuos aunque a los resultados acumulados de tales flujos no se le llame "deuda ecológica". En este artículo, consideramos y comparamos diversas definiciones y conceptualizaciones influyentes de la deuda ecológica y del comercio ecológicamente desigual, y ambas nociones quedan vinculadas mediante un análisis de stocks y flujos. Un desafío conceptual está en las emisiones de sustancias que tienen efectos globales, especialmente el dióxido de carbono y otros gases con efecto invernadero. Forman parte de un intercambio ecológicamente desigual pero lo que es desigual no es el intercambio de recursos naturales o de energía sino la apropiación de los sumideros que absorben estas sustancias. Hace falta un nuevo concepto tal como apropiación desigual de sumideros de carbono para aclarar esta diferencia.