1 Many economists accept that a 'Spaceship Earth'characterisation of the global economy is valid in the final analysis, butwould dispute a claim that...

1 Many economists accept that a 'Spaceship Earth'characterisation of the global economy is valid in the final analysis, butwould dispute a claim that we are currently close to a point at which it isnecessary to manage the economy according to strict principles of physicalsustainability. On the contrary, they would argue that urgent problems ofmalnutrition and poverty dominate our current agenda, and the solution to theseis more worthy of being our immediate objective. The objective of physicallysustainable management must be attained