Toward universal ecology disturbance measures. Basis and outline of a universal measure

In the past, environmental risk assessments of materials were primarily based upon known or suspected toxic and/or ecotoxic effects. When considering the restructuring of economies to function within ecological boundary conditions, the accumulated knowledge about hazardous materials is not sufficient because science can never predict, simulate, and quantify all possible environmental consequences in terms of nature, intensity, time, and space for releasing a multitude of different material streams. The comparison of the environmental impact intensities of different materials on the basis of toxicological hazard considerations is therefore quite limited. Moreover, since our knowledge about toxic effects is continuously expanding, economic restructuring decisions of today may turn out to be shortsighted tomorrow. This paper introduces the material intensity per unit service--the MIPS--as a universal measure for the initial estimation and comparison of the environmental impact intensities of infrastructures, goods, and services. This paper further argues that Western infrastructures, goods, and services must be dematerialized by an average factor of 10 or more in order to begin restabilizing the ecosphere. With the concept of MIPS, and a goal for long-range economic planning, robust and consistent ecological policies could be developed and internationally harmonized, and actual progress toward sustainability could be monitored.