Skip To Content

Events

Home / Events / (VIRTUAL) OEA/CABE Hybrid Event: Could Eroding Natural Capital Explain the Decline in Productivity Growth?

Mar 13 2025

(VIRTUAL) OEA/CABE Hybrid Event: Could Eroding Natural Capital Explain the Decline in Productivity Growth?

Eroding Natural Capital: An Alternative Explanation for the Secular Decline in Productivity Growth

 

Speaker: Christina Caron

Moderated by Glen Hodgson

 

The Ottawa Economics Association (OEA) and the Canadian Association for Business Economics (CABE) invite you to a compelling discussion on Christina Caron’s latest report, Eroding Natural Capital: An Alternative Explanation for the Secular Decline in Productivity Growth.

Caron’s research presents a critical perspective on the global decline in productivity growth. She argues that erosion of natural capital — our stock of environmental assets — has transformed the role of natural capital from economic accelerator to productivity constraint. While many theories attempt to explain slowing productivity growth, Caron identifies natural capital depletion as a fundamental, yet overlooked factor. She highlights how environmental deterioration, including progressive loss of climate stability, has undermined global productive capacity, with widespread effects across industries, from agriculture to manufacturing. Her work also underscores a key policy gap—conventional economic frameworks fail to account for natural capital, leading to misaligned incentives and an urgent need for integrated policy solutions. Join us to explore how natural capital accounting, economic policy, and global agreements can help reverse these trends. The event will feature a presentation by Christina Caron, followed by an interactive Q&A session. Attendees joining in person can also enjoy a buffet-style brunch.

Stay ahead of the conversation on sustainability, productivity and economic policy—register now!

Agenda

  • 11:00 – 11:30 AM – Registration 
  • 11:30 – 12:00 PM – Networking Brunch 
  • 12:00 – 1:00 PM – Presentation and Q&A 
  • 1:00 – 1:30 PM – Closing Remarks

Registration

Registration is necessary and may close earlier should the event reach capacity.

Memberships may be purchased online in advance of the event. For questions, please contact us at manager@cabe.ca. Please note that we do not accept registrations by electronic mail.

Want to attend in person? Click here to switch registration options!

 

PPP_033296 Christina Caron Economist

Christina Caron’s career as an economist and executive has included positions in four think tanks, the federal public service, the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., and the offices of two Canadian Prime Ministers and a federal Cabinet Minister. She is an alumna of McGill University, where she conducted both her undergraduate and graduate studies in economics.

Glen Hodgson Glen Hodgson Economist and Financial Consultant

Glen Hodgson has 40 years of experience in global and Canadian macroeconomics, international finance, fiscal policy, and other “big picture” topics.

Glen’s career spanned the Conference Board of Canada, where he was Senior Vice-President and Chief Economist for over a decade; Export Development Canada (EDC); the Canadian Department of Finance; and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington D.C.

His current affiliations include: Senior Fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute; Chief Economist with International Financial Consulting Ltd (IFCL); expert panelist at the Canadian Institute for Climate Choices; and Fellow with the Public Policy Forum. He is a board member of the Veristell Institute, a past president of the Ottawa Economics Association, and was a member of the Ecofiscal Commission.

Recent analysis includes: a UNDP project to develop the first integrated national financial framework for Nigeria; CD Howe Institute research on the governance of Crown corporations, and on the Canadian green bond market; the legislative review of EDC; and aspects of sustainable finance and the economics of climate change.

Glen has co-authored two books and written approx. 450 reports, briefings and articles. He has delivered many presentations to audiences of all types and sizes, and done numerous media interviews via print, TV, radio and social media.

He is a graduate of McGill University, where he was a PhD candidate in economics, and the University of Manitoba.

Event Details

Mar 13, 2025 11:30AM - 1:00PM EST

Event Registration

Public Attendee List

  • Claire Fan
  • Steve Orsini
  • Rob Smith
  • Ian Munro
  • Holly Chisholm
  • Elizabeth Cahill
  • Hankook Kim
  • Sheila Hamm
  • Lana Asaff
  • John Gerritsen
  • Pushpa Kumari