Assignment: CHAPTER 5 – Human Flourishing as Reflected in Progress and Development

Answer the following questions:

1. What is the main objective of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations?

The main objective is to eradicate poverty by 2030.

2. What is the standardized unit that measures resource use and waste?

A standard unit that measures resource use and waste, 1.8 global hectares is the figure roughly
what the average person in Ghana or Guatemala consumes by contrast, the people in the US and
Canada consume about 8 hectares per person, while Europeans consume 4.7 hectares.

3. What is the standard response to eradicating poverty?

The standard response to eradicating poverty is the same as growth.

4. What is the threshold of the Earth for adequately sustaining life?

The Earth has a threshold of 1.9 hectares in order for it to adequately sustaining life.At just $6,000 of
GDP per capita and only 1.9 hectares in use, Cuba has one of the lowest rates of literacy in the world. 5.

5. According to the majority of people in middle- and high- income countries, what puts the planet
and society at risk?

Overconsumption puts planet and society at risk. 

6. How many hectares should each of us consume annually based on the resources available on the
planet?

Our planet only has enough resources for each of as to consume 1.8 global hectares annually.

7. What are the 2 indicators of the quality of life given in the article of Jason Hickel?

Live long and happy lives at relatively low levels of income and consumption.
8. What crisis in the planet would force us to slow down if we do not do so voluntarily?

Climate change is the crisis on the planet that force us to slow down.

9. According to Hickel, what must be done instead of urging poor countries to “catch up” with rich
ones?

Instead of pushing poorer countries to catch up with rich ones, we should be thinking of ways to get rich
countries to catch down to more appropriate levels of development.

10. How would the different areas of the world react to the idea of “de-development”? 

The ideas of de-development will help to share what we have more fairly. But rich countries focus on
their economic growth so that it will serve as recognition as one of the strong nations.