Climate policy versus growth concerns

Climate change has revived the old debate on growth-vs-environment. In view of lack of definitive evidence for polarized pro- and anti-growth positions, I propose a different take on the debate which may provide new insights for designing climate policy to garner sufficient socio-political support....

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Van den Bergh, Jeroen|||0000-0003-3415-3083
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:284351
Acceso en línea:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/284351
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1016/j.socec.2023.102125
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Economic growth
Climate policy
Green growth
Degrowth
Agrowth
Behavioural biases
SDG 13 - Climate Action
Descripción
Sumario:Climate change has revived the old debate on growth-vs-environment. In view of lack of definitive evidence for polarized pro- and anti-growth positions, I propose a different take on the debate which may provide new insights for designing climate policy to garner sufficient socio-political support. To this end, I explain a third position of being indifferent about economic growth - known as 'agrowth' - and argue it merits serious attention in education and research. In addition, I pay attention to how support for climate policy and views on growth-versus-environment are connected in a dynamic way. Better understanding of this may help to reduce resistance against climate policy that is motivated by growth concerns. To this end I propose a new framework, namely the policy-support cycle, which can be formally elaborated through a set of connect models and procedures. I end with providing a set of recommendations for the economic profession regarding participation in current debates on climate policy versus economic growth. Behavioural considerations will appear throughout the discussion as opinions about economic growth and climate policy by all stakeholders - citizens, journalists, scientists and policymakers - tend to be mediated by a variety of behavioural biases.