‘Green Growth’ is a dangerous political illusion

  1. Seemingly less material footprint in rich nation is an artefact of outsourcing.

  2. On a globale level outsourcing is impossible.

  3. Shift to services does not reduce material footprint

  4. Decoupling (economic growth from material and energy use) globally does not occur

Growth ends up wiping out the gains we achieve through efficiency improvements (Jevons Paradox).

The only fail-safe strategy is to impose legally binding caps on resource use and gradually ratchet it back down to safe levels.

Hickel: Why Growth Can’t be Green (FP)

Hickel: On McAfee’s ‘More From Less’ (FP)

Ward: Is Decoupling Possible (pdf)

Wiedmann (2020) Scientist’s Warning on Aaffluence (pdf)

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