Abandoning the Obsession of Infinite Growth to Ensure a Sustainable Future in Europe

Csepeli, Réka (2024) Abandoning the Obsession of Infinite Growth to Ensure a Sustainable Future in Europe. EURÓPAI TÜKÖR: AZ INTEGRÁCIÓS STRATÉGIAI MUNKACSOPORT KÉTHAVONTA MEGJELENŐ FOLYÓIRATA, 27 (2). pp. 59-73. ISSN 1416-6151

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Abstract

The issue of the contradiction between sustainability and unlimited economic growth has long been a concern for environmentalists and some economists. However, the approach that interprets and uses the theses laid out in the Club of Rome’s Limits to Growth work as a starting point and examines ecological and economic aspects in terms of the necessary paradigm shift is by no means universally accepted. The best example of this is the European approach that interprets strengthening competitiveness through re-industrialisation and technology-saving solutions. The European Green Deal,2 launched in 2019 as the EU’s growth strategy, carries this contradiction in itself. This package of policy measures, intended to launch the green transition process, aims to lay the foundation for achieving the climate neutrality target set for 2050. This article explores the inherent contradictions between these two paradigms, examining the tensions between economic growth, resource consumption and environmental sustainability. By analysing economic theories, environmental challenges and alternative models, this paper argues that the pursuit of unrestrained economic growth is incompatible with the long-term health of the planet. The article concludes by suggesting pathways toward reconciling economic development with ecological preservation through the adoption of sustainable economic models and systems of environmental governance.

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