7. Ecological Effects of Basic Income

Howard, Pinto and Schachtschneider consider ecological arguments for a Basic Income. Environmental limits mean that economic growth might no longer be possible, and some argue that a Basic Income could afford economic security without continued economic growth. A Basic Income could facilitate work sharing, less energy-intensive work, reduced demand for wasteful positional goods, and experiments in living in the autonomous sector. Green growth strategies, including a carbon fee and dividend, are compared with degrowth strategies that call for an absolute decrease in consumption while including a Basic Income to avoid adverse impact on workers and the poor. The resulting redistribution, however, could increase carbon emissions. This means that Basic Income might require complementary policies, such as work time reduction, in order to reach ecological goals.