In a new report, Green Economy at Community Scale, a York professor suggests that a green economy could be the 
solution to some environmental and economic challenges.
Co-authors of the report, Peter Victor, an environmental studies professor at York, and Tim Jackson, a sustainable development professor at Surrey University, explain how local communities can function better in economic, social and environmental terms and provide real prosperity by applying the principles of ecological economics.
The report was released in November by the Toronto-based Metcalf Foundation as part of the foundation’s Prosperity in Balance initiative.
Ecological economics examines the interaction between human economies and natural ecosystems, especially in the context of sustainability and prosperity. The perspective is usually national and global, but Victor and Jackson are focusing on a local perspective.
The goal of the green economy is to enable individuals and communities to prosper, flourish and thrive. In this report, the authors look at the importance of local-level investment in green initiatives, the role of work and employment, the concept of the money economy and the steps towards creating a local green economy. They also present an analysis of the conceptual framework for sustainable community-based economic activities, as well as evidence that supports the successful implementation of these activities.
Victor is the founding president of the Canadian Society for Ecological Economics. His most recent books are The Costs of Economic Growth (Edward Elgar, 2013) and Managing without Growth: Slower by Design, not Disaster (Edward Elgar, 2008).