雅思阅读

📖 Reading Passage

The concept of 'environmental debt' has gained traction among economists as a framework for understanding the long-term costs of resource depletion. Unlike financial debt, which is quantifiable and governed by contractual obligations, environmental debt is diffuse and often externalized to future generations. For instance, carbon emissions from industrial activities accumulate in the atmosphere, creating a liability that manifests as climate change. This debt is not merely ecological; it imposes economic burdens, such as reduced agricultural productivity and increased healthcare costs. Some scholars argue that conventional GDP metrics fail to account for this depletion, leading to policy decisions that prioritize short-term growth over sustainability. To address this, alternative indicators, like the Genuine Progress Indicator, have been proposed, but their adoption remains limited due to political and methodological challenges. Ultimately, recognizing environmental debt requires a paradigm shift in how we value natural capital, moving beyond market prices to incorporate intergenerational equity.