Open AccessAgrowth Instead of Anti-and Pro-Growth: Less Polarization, More Support for Sustainability/Climate Policies
Author(s) -
Jeroen van den Bergh
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
the journal of population and sustainability
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2398-5496
pISSN - 2398-5488
DOI - 10.3197/jps.2018.3.1.53
Subject(s) - sustainability , population growth , polarization (electrochemistry) , population , position (finance) , politics , exposition (narrative) , political science , economics , public economics , sociology , ecology , law , art , chemistry , demography , literature , finance , biology
An agrowth strategy, defined as being agnostic and indifferent about GDP growth, is proposed as an alternative to unconditional anti-and pro-growth strategies. It is argued that such a strategy can contribute to reducing scientific and political polarization in the long-standing debate on growth versus the environment. Hence, it can broaden urgently needed support for serious sustainability and climate policies. The exposition includes a novel graphical illustration, a summary of recent surveys of citizens and scientists regarding support for an agrowth position, and a discussion of implications for population growth and policies.