Green ‘agrowth’ – the next development stage of rich countries

The literature on growth versus climate shows that theoretical and empirical support for both green growth and anti-growth are currently weak. Both strategies appear to be risky and offer insufficient guarantees for controlling climate change. This chapter proposes another strategy. We need debate in politics and wider society about stepping outside the futile framing of pro- versus anti-growth. Realizing there is a third way can help to overcome current polarization and weaken political resistance against serious climate policy in a post-Paris world. An important advantage of the neutral a-growth strategy is that it can bridge the contrast between green growth and anti-growth positions and thus is able to reduce polarization in the growth debate. Unlike unconditional pro-growth, an a-growth strategy does not give priority to income growth over climate, but is aimed at finding a true balance between all aspects of social welfare.