Dean Robertson

I am a UK based economist that has nearly ten years of experience in applied economic roles in the public and private sectors. I graduated from Newcastle University in Economics and completed a masters in Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia, with an environmental economics specialism.

I am passionate about the pragmatic application of economics to make the world a better place and the communication of the subject in a clear and concise way. I have worked on environmental and climate change policy impact assessments, local authority plans and sustainability opinions. I have done investment appraisal of utility infrastructure spending proposals and estimated the monetary value of social and environmental consequences of programmes and policies.

This book is the first I have written and is purely a personal project. I wrote it because I want to try and make the world a more abundant, resilient and safe place in my own small way. I recently became a father and want to ensure that my daughter has a future that is full of opportunities, where she is safe and free and where there is a stable and healthy environment. I have often seen great investments, policies and proposals that would have significant social and environmental benefits be rejected on affordability or profitability grounds. However, having learned about the nature of our financial system and that money can be created without limit digitally, it is simply a lack of knowledge and understanding that is holding us back from making the necessary investments for us all to thrive.

I am an optimist by nature and recognise the abundance and technological marvels produced by our economic system, unlike at point in human history. However, we are threatening the natural systems and social cohesion on which we rely, with habitat destruction and the growing extreme inequalities between and within nations. Despite the sometimes overwhelming scale of the issues we face, we do have the power to put ourselves back on a sustainable path that more equally shares the benefits of progress. Through my writing, I wish to share ideas that I think will help society thrive and survive long into the future.

Dean