‘Elaboration of the concept of ecological debt'

Final report, 1 September 2004

Authors: Erik Paredis, Jesse Lambrecht, Gert Goeminne, Wouter Vanhove

Centre for Sustainable Development (CDO) - Ghent University

The aim of the research project ‘Elaboration of the Concept of Ecological Debt' was to clarify the concept of ecological debt (state of affairs, definition, methodology, scientific frame of reference) and to study its relevance and applicability in Belgian and international policy. The research project focused on the ecological debt of countries and the consequences of this debt, such as the policy consequences on national level or in international negotiations. The question of ecological debt of companies was not treated, although it is touched upon a few times.

The research was divided into a core research and a modular research. The core research tried to clarify the concept in general terms. The modular research investigated the application of ecological debt in three fields: energy and climate change, agriculture and food supply, multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs). The project lasted from July 2003 till June 2004.

The study of literature in the core research and discussions with NGO's participating in the campaigns on ecological debt taught that the concept is still in a developing phase. ‘Ecological debt' was originally coined by South American NGO's in the beginning of the nineties and has since then been used primarily in awareness raising campaigns. Only a few scientific articles have been published on the concept. There seems to be a general understanding of what ecological debt is, but there is no univocal definition. Furthermore, there is no agreed on methodology to calculate ecological debt, either in physical or in monetary terms. Another proof that the concept is still developing, is the fact that the discussion on what should be done politically with ecological debt is very limited.

Prominent demands are ‘recognition' of the actual existence of ecological debt, ‘compensation' for or ‘reparation' of ecological debt from the past and ‘avoiding new accumulations' in the future through restructuring of production and consumption patterns in industrialised countries. It is argued in this report that the weaknesses mentioned are rather on the level of operationalisation of the concept than on the level of the concept as such. The reality to which ecological debt refers cannot be denied: the historical and current ecological damage in other countries or to global ecosystems caused by industrialised countries and the over-use of ecosystem goods and services by industrialised countries are amply documented.

Besides, the concept of ecological debt has characteristics which turn it into a potentially powerful tool for re-discussing relations between North and South or for re-thinking sustainable development policies. Characteristics mentioned are the historical perspective added to sustainable development, the reversal of the debtor-creditor perspective (with the North now in a debtor position and the South as creditor) and the uniting and articulation of comparable experiences from local groups in the South. Still, due to the ‘operational' weaknesses, the usefulness of ecological debt in international policy and negotiations seems at the moment rather limited.

The research has shown that it should be possible to remedy these weaknesses.

Read the full document Gent_concept_ecodebt