Green growth’s false premises and alternative policy proposals

SCAD No 33
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Published: Mar 1, 2022
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2022-03-01 (1)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/scad.32226
Keywords:
Degrowth policies, green growth, decoupling, sustainability, OECD, European Green Deal
Nikos Trantas
Panteion University
Abstract

Green growth recognizes the pressing environmental
problems that are threatening the planet,
but holds an optimistic view on the relation
between economic growth and environmental
protection. It presumes that the economy can
continue to grow as long as it is geared toward
finding new investment opportunities in innovations
and technological developments that
will lead to the greening of the economy. This
will supposedly lead to a gradual decoupling of
economic growth from resource use and environmental
impact. Scientific evidence seriously
questions the decoupling hypothesis, and theories
critical of growth have suggested alternative
policy proposals for environmental and
social sustainability. These non-mainstream
theories and analytical frameworks seem to be
earning a wider acceptance nowadays

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Author Biography
Nikos Trantas, Panteion University

Dr Nikos Trantas is a political scientist and civil servant in the Presidency of the Government. He
works on policies for sustainable development and has published studies on sustainability issues,
degrowth, political theory, social policy and local development, European governance, political
parties and the state (contact: nick.trantas@gmail.com).

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