Kirk Hamilton
Kirk Hamilton, a Canadian national, was appointed as Team Leader for Policy and Economics in the Environment Department of the World Bank in 2002. He leads the Bank’s work on environmental economics, poverty-environment analysis and ‘greening’ the national accounts. Prior to joining the Bank he was Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Research on the Global Environment, University College London, and Assistant Director, National Accounts, Statistics Canada.
Papers Published in World Economics:
Responsible Growth to 2050
At plausible rates of growth in population and income per capita, world GDP in
2050 could be four times what it is today. This paper considers the benefits this
growth can provide, the risks that it presents, and the building blocks required to
achieve it. The authors argue that “business as usual” risks unsustainable
outcomes. The alternative—responsible growth that sustains environments and
supports social development—requires long term thinking if it is to be achieved.
Dealing with near-term inequality, improving governance in developing
countries, and providing global public goods, particularly vaccine development
for tropical diseases and tropical agricultural research, will be key to attaining the
prosperous future the authors envision.
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