Environmental sustainability from the perspective of political economy

Hope has a utopian function, claims the German philosopher Ernst Bloch. It is neither a wish nor a fantasy, but an emotion that allows us to anticipate the future in the present. The emotions that accompany us when we read reports on climate change, endangered species or plastic pollution of the environment. We hope that new technologies, the progress of science and the solidarity of the inhabitants, in particular of developed countries, will stop the ongoing changes and the next generations will be able to continue to enjoy the high quality of life on this planet using its resources. This chapter focuses on the most important environmental challenges facing humanity. The latest figures I refer to paint different scenarios, but experts agree that action should be taken now. Using the achievements of the political economy of sustainability, as well as feminist and ecological economics, I point to proposals for actions that prefiguratively shape the image of the economy of the future in the service of nature and society. This unique contribution allows for a holistic view of the concept of environmental sustainability, which is central to the other dimensions described in this book – social and economic.