Economic growth and the environment in a context of climate change Cover Image

La croissance économique et l’environnement dans un contexte de changement climatique
Economic growth and the environment in a context of climate change

Author(s): Serge Magloire M’Boungou
Subject(s): Energy and Environmental Studies, Environmental and Energy policy, Economic development
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Ekonomicznego w Poznaniu
Keywords: economic growth;technological progress;environment;measures;incentives;intervention;
Summary/Abstract: Globalization promotes the creation of wealth, but also social polarization in the North and South, while precipitating a degradation of the natural environment and jeopardizing sustainable development. This creation of wealth, namely economic growth, tends to increase the impact of human activities on the environment. In the absence of action, in the face of environmental challenges, there will be more consequences today than in the past. The objective of our reflection is to show that long-term economic growth is possible without compromising the environment that is seen here from an economic point of view. The question we have posed is whether long-term economic growth can continue while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The answer is yes for most economists who have studied the problem. It should be possible to reduce GHG emissions in several ways. The problem of climate change is clearly related to economic growth. The point of view of many environmental and natural resource economists is not whether or not there is growth in the medium to long term, but what content we want Economic growth, so that it generates less environmental damage and less social inequality.