Nepal, Feb. 29 -- The alarming acceleration of global warming caused by carbon emissions from ever-expanding industrial production and mass consumption underscores a fundamental flaw in the economistic interpretation of development that puts no limit on economic growth.

Scientists warn that development based on continually expanding industrialisation and mass consumption is potentially catastrophic to humanity. Yet, most countries, including rich ones in the Global North, continue to shy away from controlling the consumption and production of carbon-intensive goods in the name of economic growth and perpetual development.

Paternalistic discourse about under-development is familiar to us all, with Nepal being labelled a least developed c...