articleNew Political EconomyApr 17, 2019GREEN OA

Is Green Growth Possible?

JHJason HickelGKGiorgos Kallis

Goldsmiths University of London · Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats · +1 more institution

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Abstract

The notion of green growth has emerged as a dominant policy response to climate change and ecological breakdown. Green growth theory asserts that continued economic expansion is compatible with our planet’s ecology, as technological change and substitution will allow us to absolutely decouple GDP growth from resource use and carbon emissions. This claim is now assumed in national and international policy, including in the Sustainable Development Goals. But empirical evidence on resource use and carbon emissions does not support green growth theory. Examining relevant studies on historical trends and model-based projections, we find that: (1) there is no empirical evidence that absolute decoupling from resource…

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Topics & keywords

Topics
Keywords
  • Green growth
  • Economics
  • Decoupling (probability)
  • Natural resource economics
  • Sustainable development
  • Climate change
  • Global warming
  • Empirical evidence
UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Climate action
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