Green Growth Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

The focus of this thesis is on whether or not it is possible to decouple economic growth from the physical growth of the economy and its associated negative environmental pressures and pollution. The thesis demonstrates that it is... more

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... more

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 use can be achieved on a global scale against a background of continued economic growth, and (2) absolute decoupling from carbon emissions is highly unlikely to be achieved at a rate rapid enough to prevent global warming over 1.5°C or 2°C, even under optimistic policy conditions. We conclude that green growth is likely to be a misguided objective, and that policymakers need to look toward alternative strategies.

The ‘Green Economy’ is fast becoming the new alpha and omega for many policy makers, corporations, political actors and NGO’s who want to tackle both the environmental and economic crisis at once. Or would it be better to speak about... more

The ‘Green Economy’ is fast becoming the new alpha and omega for many policy makers, corporations, political actors and NGO’s who want to tackle both the environmental and economic crisis at once. Or would it be better to speak about ‘green capitalism’? Going green is not only important in the fight against environmental destruction, it also makes a country “stronger, healthier, safer, more innovative, competitive and respected”, argues Thomas Friedman, the well-known New York Times columnist. “Is there anything that is more patriotic, capitalist and geostrategic than this?” Indeed, the rationale underlying the nascent project of the Green Economy is that if the market could become the instrument for tackling the environmental crisis, the fight against this crisis could be the royal road to solving the problems of the market. Focusing in particular on the Green Economy’s impact on climate change, this paper analyses the Green Economy as a hegemonic project that tries to retranslate environmental concerns into a new jargon, and to turn environmental conflict into a new motor for economic development.

The green growth paradigm has gained much attention in the last decade. Green growth not only protects the environment and human beings but also serves as a substitute for scarce natural assets. Gov-ernance institutions develop laws and... more

The green growth paradigm has gained much attention in the last decade. Green growth not only protects the environment and human beings but also serves as a substitute for scarce natural assets. Gov-ernance institutions develop laws and policies for all industries in a country and are directly responsible for natural resource exploration and environmental protection or destruction. Pakistan is the fifth most vulnerable country to environmental hazards in the world. To address this issue, this study is the first to analyze the relations among governance indicators, ISO 14001 and green growth in Pakistan by using time-series data from 20 0 0 to 2017. The study utilized advanced mathematical Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) models, namely, absolute grey relational grade (GRG), Deng's GRG, and Second Synthetic Degree of Grey Incidence Analysis (SSGIG) models, to capture the relations among the studied variables. The main results revealed that ISO 14001, with the highest GRA values of 0.8-0.9, proved to be effective in chan-neling green growth. Among all governance indicators related to green growth, the rule of law with the highest maximin criterion value of 0.644 was found to play a key role for Pakistan. The study findings provide insights into how good governance can contribute to accomplishing the objectives of environmental sustainability. They can also help legislators and organizations understand the importance of ISO 14001 certification to promote sustainable practices across sectors in Pakistan.

Mankind might be better placed to address shared and inter-related existential challenges and associated opportunities if more boards ensured corporate purpose and the formulation and execution of strategy were responsible and aligned.... more

Mankind might be better placed to address shared and inter-related existential challenges and associated opportunities if more boards ensured corporate purpose and the formulation and execution of strategy were responsible and aligned. Some business leaders find it difficult to effectively respond to rapidly changing situations and circumstances. Doing so responsibly with current governance and organisational arrangements and practices poses questions for directors, boards and the capitalist system. The intractable nature of certain issues has implications for setting strategic direction and assessing firm performance. Intelligent steering rather than traditional planning and a broader and more strategic approach to CSR may be required. Many business leaders need to regain trust, engage with a wider range of interests and transition to more responsible enterprise, capitalism and leadership. Repurposing to address shared social and environmental challenges and pursue sustainable development goals may help to achieve this.

The risks associated with rapid urbanisation and climate change have highlighted the need to reconfigure the growth and development trajectories of cities and economies both internationally and locally. Cities around the world are... more

The risks associated with rapid urbanisation and climate change have highlighted the need to reconfigure the growth and development trajectories of cities and economies both internationally and locally. Cities around the world are exploring opportunities, such as the green growth agenda, to achieve sustainable development through innovative approaches to planning and delivering urban infrastructure and services. The concept of green infrastructure (GI) has emerged internationally as a way to foster economic growth and development using natural or man-made assets to provide resources and environmental services. GI is a set of natural and man-made ecological systems that provide services to society, such as flood attenuation, water and air filtration, and microclimate regulation, which can be used as an alternative, or partner to traditional infrastructure. As infrastructure policies are central to the implementation of a successful green growth strategy, GI offers a new approach for providing cost-effective and efficient infrastructure while meeting green growth objectives. This paper explores the potential for GI to meet green growth commitments in the Gauteng City-Region (GCR). The research includes a desktop analysis of how the concept of green growth has permeated policy and planning in South Africa and how GI can be used to operationalise green growth concepts. These concepts have been unpacked through a GI CityLab-a platform of engagement that draws together insights from government officials and academics-that collaboratively explores how GI can be applied to government planning in the GCR. The CityLab findings highlight that while there is potential for GI to help deliver infrastructure and services in a more sustainable and cost-effective way, there are significant barriers to the uptake of this approach. The paper concludes by positing that to overcome these barriers, local case studies and suitable GIS databases need to be developed to facilitate the incorporation of GI into policy and planning in the GCR.

In the 1970s, deep ecologists developed a radical normative argument for ‘ecological consciousness’ to challenge environmental and human exploitation. Such consciousness would replace the Enlightenment dualist ‘illusion’ with a... more

In the 1970s, deep ecologists developed a radical normative argument for ‘ecological consciousness’ to challenge environmental and human exploitation. Such consciousness would replace the Enlightenment dualist ‘illusion’ with a post-Enlightenment holism that ‘fully integrated’ humanity within the ecosphere. By the 2000s, deep ecology had fallen out of favour with many green scholars. And, in 2014, it was described as a ‘spent force’. However, this decline has coincided with calls by influential advocates of ‘corporate social and environmental responsibility’ (CSER) and ‘green growth’ (GG) that urge market actors to ensure voluntarily that social and environmental ‘problems are addressed holistically’. Given that CSER and GG have also been associated with rent seeking, privatisation and reducing incomes of the poor, could it be that the deep ecologists’ once radical ideas today serve to legitimate forms of exploitation that they once decried? A critical realist perspective can problematise deep ecology’s highly normative response to exploitation and alienation. By settling ontological questions in favour of holism and promoting moral voluntarism, deep ecology failed to address how actors with different interests might adopt green ideas. This blind spot can be cured by focussing instead on the active deployment of ethics, morality, values, beliefs, ideas, and knowledges by political actors in historically specific contexts. Both critical normative and critical realist modes of engaging with environmental values are important; however, at a time when holism and voluntarism are gaining influence, critical realism offers helpful insight into the uses and abuses of such values.

Possible futures can, for simplicity, be reduced to three broad options: 'Business-as-usual economic growth' ('Nightmare'), 'Green economic growth' ('Diversion'), and 'Ecological sustainability' ('Vision'). We critically the feasibility... more

Possible futures can, for simplicity, be reduced to three broad options: 'Business-as-usual economic growth' ('Nightmare'), 'Green economic growth' ('Diversion'), and 'Ecological sustainability' ('Vision'). We critically the feasibility and sustainability of each. We find that the Nightmare option will eventually be undermined by ecological deterioration and rising resource scarcity, while the Diversion option, we argue, is doomed to failure. The Vision option is for us the only viable future, but requires unprecedented socioeconomic changes. Regardless of path, either Earth biophysical changes, or socioeconomic changes—or possibly both—will be unprecedented. Hence predicting the future, never easy, will become much harder.

Macroeconomic Projects, Master in Public policy & Development, Paris School of Economics

El modelo forestal chileno ha transformado el territorio del centro-sur del país mediante el desarrollo de plantaciones extensivas, deteriorando las relaciones ambientales (sociedad-ecosistemas). Este trabajo presenta una crítica a dicho... more

El modelo forestal chileno ha transformado el territorio del centro-sur del
país mediante el desarrollo de plantaciones extensivas, deteriorando las relaciones ambientales (sociedad-ecosistemas). Este trabajo presenta una crítica a dicho modelo, planteando que hoy se legitima con la imagen modernizadora de la economía verde mientras su estructura de corte neo-extractivista esconde un modelo territorial insustentable. Para ello, se estudia cómo el modelo ha afectado la territorialidad de comunidades indígenas y campesinas de las zonas rurales de La Unión, tras la inequitativa distribución de los beneficios económicos y los costos socio-ecológicos

This report applies the International Resource Panel report, Decoupling Resource Use and Environmental Impacts from Economic Growth to cities. The core argument of the Decoupling Report was that a transition to a green economy will... more

This report applies the International Resource Panel report, Decoupling Resource Use and Environmental Impacts from Economic Growth to cities. The core argument of the Decoupling Report was that a transition to a green economy will depend on finding ways to sustain economic growth rates without escalating rates of resource use. To achieve this decoupling, appropriate sustainability-oriented innovation will need to be initiated, promoted and applied on a large scale.

The sustainable development discourse, including the modern green growth version, may have aspects that contribute to environmental and social welfare but it is a top down reform project, that aims at correcting the environmental and... more

The sustainable development discourse, including the modern green growth version, may have aspects that contribute to environmental and social welfare but it is a top down reform project, that aims at correcting the environmental and social externalities resulting from economic growth. It is directed by governments that abide by the logic of capital. Although in principle there is civic engagement, public participation is limited and without challenging the dominant economic paradigm. Following Gramsci's terminology, sustainable development can be interpreted as a passive revolution, in the sense that change is managed through compromises with different social and political actors but within limits which neutralize any potential threat to economic and political power. On the contrary, the emerging (yet still marginal) alternative, multidisciplinary , degrowth academic paradigm, has evolved from an activist movement since the first decade of this century, and retains close contacts and open communication with social movements that support a degrowth transition in economy and society. This transition directly challenges the established orthodox growth narrative and the mechanisms of capital accumulation. Thus, in contrast to the sustainable development discourse, it is difficult for the "power bloc" to accommodate degrowth. But in times of crisis and change, the dominant powers can certainly use some aspects of the degrowth discourse, assimilating and transforming them into elements that fit their new accumulation strategies, hegemonic visions and state projects. For this not to happen, degrowthers should focus their research and theory more on the workings of capitalist political economy, and their political practice on trying to form alliances with social actors, such as working-class movements, that are crucial for the achievement of hegemony.

Changing global trends are creating new opportunities for economic transformation, green industrialization and green entrepreneurship in Africa. Policies to encourage these developments can speed Africa's transition to a clean,... more

Changing global trends are creating new opportunities for economic transformation, green industrialization and green entrepreneurship in Africa. Policies to encourage these developments can speed Africa's transition to a clean, resource-efficient modern economy.

The discourse of “green growth” has recently gained ground in environmental governance deliberations and policy proposals. It is presented as a fresh and innovative agenda centered on the deployment of engineering sophistication,... more

The discourse of “green growth” has recently gained ground in environmental governance deliberations and policy proposals. It is presented as a fresh and innovative agenda centered on the deployment of engineering sophistication, managerial acumen, and market mechanisms to redress the environmental and social derelictions of the existing development model. But the green growth project is deeply inadequate, whether assessed against criteria of social justice or the achievement of sustainable economic life upon a materially finite planet. This volume outlines three main lines of critique. First, it traces the development of the green growth discourse qua ideology. It asks: what explains modern society’s investment in it, why has it emerged as a master concept in the contemporary conjuncture, and what social forces does it serve? Second, it unpicks and explains the contradictions within a series of prominent green growth projects. Finally, it weighs up the merits and demerits of alternative strategies and policies, asking the vital question: “If not green growth, then what?”

As a Don Quixote of the 20th Century, Roger Garaudy’s “Crusade Against the god of Growth” is studied in the paper. He sees “Cruel god of the Growth” and “False god of the Growth” in the “Widowmaker Disease” and other tragic scenes.... more

As a Don Quixote of the 20th Century, Roger Garaudy’s “Crusade Against the god of Growth” is studied in the paper. He sees “Cruel god of the Growth” and “False god of the Growth” in the “Widowmaker Disease” and other tragic scenes. Garaudy says in a discussion with the boss of Fiat: “like Funeral Costs, the GDP includes our misfortunes/ calamities to asset account. For example, tomorrow, if one million Fiat (automobile) collide to the other one million Fiat: expenses of carriage bodies, expenses of clinics, funeral costs, expenses of debris removal..these expenses will raise the GDP.” Garaudy adds: “It is not sufficient to say: ‘No Growth!’. Because, even “zero growth” does not mean that we will not do in the next year more extravagance than this year.” As an old communist, he mentiones that a revolutionist that can not change himself/herself, how he/she will change the world and points harms of hedonist emotions of the capitalist culture and how man can resist his/her animal spirits and emphasizes that economics and politics are non-integral parts of the religion and the belief

Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Background information 1.2 Scope of the problem 1.3 Research framework Chapter 2 Energy Profiles of Central Asian Countries: Current Status and Future Prospects 2.1 Kazakhstan 2.2 Kyrgyz Republic 2.3... more

Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 Background information
1.2 Scope of the problem
1.3 Research framework
Chapter 2 Energy Profiles of Central Asian Countries: Current Status and Future Prospects
2.1 Kazakhstan
2.2 Kyrgyz Republic
2.3 Tajikistan
2.4 Turkmenistan
2.5 Uzbekistan
2.6 Measuring the Security of External Energy Supply and Energy Export Demand in Central Asia
2.6.1 Methodology
2.6.2 Data
2.6.3 Results and Policy Implications
2.7 Summary
Chapter 3 Economy, Energy and the Environment in Kazakhstan
3.1 Economy of Kazakhstan
3.2 Energy System
3.2.1 Fossil Fuel
3.2.2 Coal
3.2.3 Crude Oil and Natural Gas
3.3 Environmental Problems in Kazakhstan
3.4 Modeling CO2 Emissions, Energy Use, and Economic Growth
3.4.1 Methodology
3.4.2 Data
3.4.3 Empirical Findings
3.5 The Dutch Disease in Kazakhstan
3.5.1 Methodology
3.5.2 Data
3.5.3 Empirical Findings
3.6 Summary
Chapter 4 Decomposition Analysis of Industry Sector CO2 Emissions from Fuel Combustion in Kazakhstan
4.1 Methodology
4.2 Data
4.3 Empirical Findings
4.4 Summary
Chapter 5 Power Industry
5.1 Electricity Generation
5.2 Commercial Heat Generation
5.3 Life Cycle Assessment of Commercial Heat and Electricity Production
5.3.1 Goal and Scope
5.3.2 Data
5.3.3 Methodology
5.3.4 Pre-Combustion
5.3.5 Combustion
5.3.6 Results and Discussion
5.3.7 External Costs of Power Production
5.4 Health Effects of Coal: A Long-Run Relationship Assessment of Coal Production and Respiratory Health in Kazakhstan
5.4.1 Methodology
5.4.2 Data
5.4.3 Empirical Findings
5.5 Potential of Renewable Energy in Kazakhstan
5.5.1 Solar Energy
5.5.2 Biomass and Geothermal Energy
5.5.3 Hydropower
5.6 Summary
Chapter 6 Wind Power in Kazakhstan
6.1 Wind Climates and Local Winds
6.2 Potential Assessment
6.2.1 Data
6.2.2 Methodology
6.2.3 Results and Discussion
6.3 Environmental Improving Effect of Wind Energy
6.4 Cost of Wind Energy
6.5 Multi-Criteria Analysis of Wind Power
6.5.1 Criteria Selection
6.5.2 Technical Criteria
6.5.3 Environmental Criteria
6.5.4 Socioeconomic Criteria
6.5.5 Methodology
6.5.6 Results and Discussion
6.6 Summary
Chapter 7 Green Growth Strategy of Kazakhstan
7.1 Effect of Kazakh Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) on Industrial Energy Intensities
7.1.1 Methodology
7.1.2 Data
7.1.3 Results and Discussions
7.2 Summary
Chapter 8 Conclusions and Policy Implications
8.1 Policy Recommendations

Decoupling technologies, opportunities and policy options This report was produced by the Decoupling Working Group of the International Resource Panel. It explores technological possibilities and opportunities for both developing and... more

Indonesia aims to reduce its CO 2 emissions by 29% while maintaining a 7% annual GDP growth rate, thus making " green economy " a reality. Based on a review of literature and secondary data and interviews with key informants, this article... more

Indonesia aims to reduce its CO 2 emissions by 29% while maintaining a 7% annual GDP growth rate, thus making " green economy " a reality. Based on a review of literature and secondary data and interviews with key informants, this article examines the gap between these national ambitions and the reality on the ground, with particular attention to the challenges of multi-scalar environmental governance. It first introduces the green economy concept and discusses the main green growth policies and initiatives at the national level. The article then examines green growth ambitions at the provincial level in East Kalimantan province. Our findings suggest that existing plans to further expand oil palm plantations are at odds with provincial efforts to reduce emissions. This highlights a key paradox we identify at the heart of the green economy concept as it is developing in Indonesia: between a development trajectory based on resource extraction and agro-industrial development, and 'green' aspirations linked to environmental protection and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. We conclude that the main challenges to address these contradictions are related to the lack of coordination between different governance scales and a political economy that is not conducive to reforms in the land-based sector. There is a need to align investment, planning, and green growth policies, based on a strong political commitment and an awareness of social and environmental trade-offs. On a more general level the article shows that the green economy concept refers to a form of environmental governance in which authorities and interests may overlap and come into conflict at different scales. Hence, differing priorities may lead the material expression of the green economy to diverge significantly from policy as it is initially laid out.

Nepal, a least-developed, mountainous, and landlocked country is consistently ranked as one of the most vulnerable countries to the climate change. Poor socioeconomic development, rough and highly unstable geography, inadequate... more

Nepal, a least-developed, mountainous, and landlocked country is consistently ranked as one of the most vulnerable countries to the climate change. Poor socioeconomic development, rough and highly unstable geography, inadequate institutional capacity to deal with research, development and policy and mostly underdeveloped infrastruc-tures, all have contributed to increasing vulnerability of communities and ecosystems, and have limited their adaptive capacity. Over the past decade, Nepal has made significant progress, particularly in developing and implementing policies and frameworks and establishing institutional mechanisms with the support of donor countries, UN and multilateral agencies. As the global climate politics is getting more complicated, international financing patterns-both climate and development finance-are shifting their ways, forcing the countries like Nepal to diversify the funding base for climate change actions and integrate them within national development plans and strategies. Using the data and information currently available, we analyze the existing financing situations, discuss the future scenarios and suggest policy recommendations to develop a set of long-term adaptation and impact mitigation strategies in specific and environmental change at large. When short-term adaptation strategies funded from existing financial arrangements and other related bilateral and multilateral sources particularly European countries, seem to be encouraging, we stress the need of "public-private partnership-driven full-fledged green economy" focusing on renewable energy and transport, agriculture and forestry, water and water-induced disasters, as well as tourism and hospitality.

The novel aspect of this article is the integrative orchestration of recently Green Strategies of Global, Europe and French Fight against Climate Change Challenge as well as comprehensive analysis on the French RE (Renewable Energy)... more

The novel aspect of this article is the integrative orchestration of recently Green Strategies of Global, Europe and French Fight against Climate Change Challenge as well as comprehensive analysis on the French RE (Renewable Energy) Scenarios during 2006 to 2015. The contributions of French RE Capacities are evidently compared with respect to World and European Union (EU). Moreover, French Icons of Green Growth, the present situation and emerging RE Trends in the near future are highlighted in this research paper. United Nations (UN) is encouraging a Sustainable World for all initiative to ensure universal access to save the World by decarbonization, promote the harnessing of RE energies and improve Energy Efficiency (EE). As the western powerful organization, EU is obviously participating in UN's Green Efforts and also leading the strategic fight against the Climate Change Battle. France is actively addressing the Climate Change and delegable attending Paris 2015 (COP 21). France is significantly one of the few World developed countries that is facilitated with high living standard and clean electricity generation as the leader of EU electricity exporter. France has concrete frameworks and impressive policies for RE development and effectively boosting it with incentive mechanisms. There is no doubt that French Green Growth Paradigm is shifting with implementation of Low-carbon Economy towards Sustainable Future of Mother Earth.

A roundtable for Spectre Journal (June 2021), with Thea Riofrancos, Andreas Malm and Gareth Dale. Topics: nature-society relations, ecological crisis, covid-19, climate change, Green New Deal, govt management of pandemics, green... more

A roundtable for Spectre Journal (June 2021), with Thea Riofrancos, Andreas Malm and Gareth Dale.
Topics: nature-society relations, ecological crisis, covid-19, climate change, Green New Deal, govt management of pandemics, green capitalism, extractivism.

This study investigated the possibility of achieving a low carbon development in Nigeria through the application of some sustainable strategies. The investigation was through a review of some low carbon policies applied in some country's... more

This study investigated the possibility of achieving a low carbon development in Nigeria through the application of some sustainable strategies. The investigation was through a review of some low carbon policies applied in some country's cases. The strategies were then explored to ascertain the possibilities of replication in the Nigerian context. It was necessary due to the increase in climate change activities experienced in Nigeria. The strategies were based on some successful country case in a bid to improve their transition towards a low carbon economy. These strategies applied by other nations were investigated and explored for replication possibilities in the Nigerian context. They include; thinking and adopting the green growth ideology, energy policy reforms, long-term energy planning and target, energy regulations and standards, environmental tax reforms, urban planning, efficient building design, the efficiency of the energy system, efficiency of passenger transport system, and renewable energy options. The Mini-review Article

Özet Görece yüksek büyüme oranlarına sahip gelişmekte olan ülkelerde, bu hızlı büyüme trendinin sürdürülebilir olup olmadığı literatürde sıkça tartışılmaktadır. Büyüme oranlarının artan bir trend izlemesi için, ekonomideki yenilenebilir... more

Özet Görece yüksek büyüme oranlarına sahip gelişmekte olan ülkelerde, bu hızlı büyüme trendinin sürdürülebilir olup olmadığı literatürde sıkça tartışılmaktadır. Büyüme oranlarının artan bir trend izlemesi için, ekonomideki yenilenebilir kaynaklardan daha ziyade yenilenemez içsel doğal kaynakların kullanımı büyümenin sürdürülme-sinde daha büyük bir öneme sahiptir (Romer, 1996). Bu yüzden, ekonomik büyümenin analizinde arzı sınırlı olan doğal kaynak faktörünün etkisi çok büyük önem taşımak-tadır. Doğal kaynak faktörünün, özellikle gelişmekte olan ülkelerde yarattığı ekonomik büyüme üzerindeki etkileri çalışmada incelenmektedir. Bu amaçla, yatay kesit bağımlılığını ve çoklu yapısal kırılmaları dikkate alan panel veri testleri yardımıyla doğal kaynaklar ve ekonomik büyüme arasındaki ilişki 1990-2013 yılları arasında gelişmekte olan ülkeler açısından araştırılmıştır. Çalışmanın ekonometrik analizinde, yatay kesit bağımlılığı için CD testleri, 1. ve 2. nesil birim kök testleri, eşbütünleşme varlığını araştırmak için yapısal kırılmaları dikkate alan Westerlund eşbütünleşme testi, uzun dönem katsayılarına tahminlemek için Panel ARDL modeline dayanan PMG (Pooled Mean Group) ve CCEMG (Common Correlated Effects-Mean Group) testleri uygulanmaktadır. Ekonometrik analiz sonuçlarına göre, uzun ve kısa dönem-de doğal sermaye ve ekonomik büyüme arasında pozitif ve anlamlı bir ilişki olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmaktadır. Bu sonuç bağlamında, politika yapıcılar gelişmekte olan ülkelerde ekonomik kalkınmanın gerçekleştirilmesi açısından doğal kaynakları dik-kate alan uzun vadeli ekonomik programların oluşturulması gerekliliği ortaya çık-maktadır.

The rising dominance of sustainable development (SD) and green growth (GG) in contemporary societies have become one of the foremost source of contentions that most states face today in the developing world. It is often suggested that... more

The rising dominance of sustainable development (SD) and green growth (GG) in contemporary societies have become one of the foremost source of contentions that most states face today in the developing world. It is often suggested that institutionalizing key policies of the SD and GG present a win-win situation. The purpose of this paper is to scrutinize and evaluate such a debate in the light of existing empirical evidence on SD, GG and economic development (ED). It seeks to answer the question “does the sustainability discourse fit in the modern socioeconomic needs of the developing nations or not.”
This paper adopts a qualitative research technique. It mainly relies on secondary sources of data. In aligning with the key technical approach of qualitative research; the secondary sourced data were also subject to minor level content and thematic analyses from which facts and assumptions were derived to undertake the present study.
The main verdict of the paper is that SD and GG discourses do not fit in the crucial socioeconomic needs of the underdeveloped nations. Endorsing SD and GG policies in emerging countries is essentially about restraining their economic prosperity. In fact, it is an anti-growth agenda in its essence. What makes it anti-growth is the core element of minimal use of critical natural capital to grow economically, which lies at the heart of entire SD and GG. What makes it hard for the emerging nations to comply with core elements of the sustainability is their capacity to comply with alternative growth pathways. Thus, limiting the growth process by promoting the agendas of SD is fundamentally about keeping deprived state/people poor.
The work is exclusively limited to the author’s understanding of issues and key concerns of developing world concerning institutionalization of the SD and GG. Alike, the author’s comprehension may not fully reflect the foremost concerns of the emerging nations. Moreover, just a single research approach was employed in this study. A further empirical investigation is required in this field for acknowledging and documenting all the key motives and perspectives of third-world states when endorsing SD and GG policies.
For originality or value, the paper sheds light on the political aspects of promoting the SD, and the long-lasting fact that the key concerns of sustainability pose challenges to the very existence poor states in the south. Most of them are highly exposed to socioeconomic shocks. They cannot afford to implement the policies of SD and GG as the majority of their citizens are living under poverty line. The only panacea they have to overcome the existing social deprivation is the massive ED. Furthermore, institutionalizing SD and GG may cause societal clashes in the poor states.

Many of the radical ideas of present-day opponents of the growth society build upon a rich intellectual heritage of opposition to growth, stretching back to the 1960s. What’s intriguing about the works of the past opponents of growth, the... more

Many of the radical ideas of present-day opponents of the growth society build upon a rich intellectual heritage of opposition to growth, stretching back to the 1960s. What’s intriguing about the works of the past opponents of growth, the ‘old dissenters’, is that their indictment of growth doesn’t rely solely on the ‘silver bullet’ of excessive greenhouse gas emissions. This means that their intellectual arguments are more comprehensive and erudite than present-day critics who rely solely on climate change to clinch their case. This essay surveys the contributions of the most eminent of the ‘old dissenters’, in the hope that readers may acquire a more nuanced appreciation of the case against growth. The contributions surveyed are from Kenneth Boulding (1966), Garrett Hardin (1968), Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen (1971), Donella and Denis Meadows, Jørgen Randers and William Behrens (1972), Arne Naess (1973), Ivan Illich (1973), E.F. Schumacher (1973) and Herman Daly (1989 and 1996).