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Understanding different perspectives on economic growth and climate policy
Author(s) -
Jakob Michael,
Lamb William F.,
Steckel Jan Christoph,
Flachsland Christian,
Edenhofer Ottmar
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
wiley interdisciplinary reviews: climate change
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.678
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1757-7799
pISSN - 1757-7780
DOI - 10.1002/wcc.677
Subject(s) - degrowth , sustainability , climate change , economics , ecological economics , perspective (graphical) , positive economics , threatened species , corporate governance , neoclassical economics , political science , public economics , environmental ethics , ecology , philosophy , finance , artificial intelligence , habitat , computer science , biology
Should economic growth continue in a world threatened by the prospect of catastrophic climate change? The scientific and public debate has brought forth a broad spectrum of views and narratives on this question, ranging from neoclassical economics to degrowth. We argue that different positions can be attributed to underlying differences in views on (a) factors that determine human well‐being, (b) the feasibility and desirability of economic growth, (c) appropriate intervention points, and (d) preferences about governance and policy options. For each of these dimensions, we propose points of agreement on which a consensus between conflicting positions might be achieved. From this basis, we distill a sustainability transition perspective that could act as a basis for a renewed debate on how to align human well‐being with environmental sustainability. This article is categorized under: Climate Economics>Economics and Climate Change