A Good Life on a Finite Earth: The Political Economy of Green Growth

by Daniel J Fiorino

The potential conflict among economic and ecological goals has formed the central fault line of environmental politics in the United States and most other countries since the 1970s. The accepted view is that efforts to protect the environment will detract from economic growth, jobs, and global competitiveness. Conversely, much advocacy on behalf of the environment focuses on the need to control growth and avoid its more damaging effects. This offers a stark choice between prosperity and growth, on the one hand, and ecological degradation on the other. Stopping or reversing growth in most countries is unrealistic, economically risky, politically difficult, and is likely to harm the very groups that should be protected. At the same time, a strategy of unguided "growth above all" would cause ecological catastrophe.

Over the last decade, the concept of green growth -- the idea that the right mix of policies, investments, and technologies will lead to beneficial growth within ecological limits -- has become central to global and national debates and policy due to the financial crisis and climate change. As Daniel J. Fiorino argues, in order for green growth to occur, ecological goals must be incorporated into the structure of the economic and political systems. In this book, he looks at green growth, a vast topic that has heretofore not been systematically covered in the literature on environmental policy and politics. Fiorino looks at its role in global, national, and local policy making; its relationship to sustainable development; controversies surrounding it (both from the left and right); its potential role in ameliorating inequality; and the policy strategies that are linked with it. The book also examines the political feasibility of green growth as a policy framework. While he focuses on
the United States, Fiorino will draw comparisons to green growth policy in other countries, including Germany, China, and Brazil.

272 pages, Paperback

Published January 2, 2018

Reviews

[Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to confess that I have not read Naomi Klein's "This Changes Everything" yet, but having read Fiorino's, I believe this book is on par with Klein's in giving us the mindset and framework to tackle the ever-pressing challenge of the climate change. With the ever polarizing debate about the existence of climate change and what ought to be done about it, Fiorino has tread on the path few have taken by creating a middle ground for the society to both mitigate the damages of climate change and maintain an economic growth at the same time. One can imagine how such views would be seen with contempt and derision by both spectrums of the debate. Notwithstanding the incessant noises of criticisms, I'd also argue that if we want to go anywhere that nearly resembles the image of going forward in this discourse, a new outlook on the topic is not only worth considering, but also implementing. Bearing in mind that Fiorino has put considerable effort in outlining the ideologies behind the green growth concept and the various political and economical frameworks, through which it can be realized, one ought to do well in giving this line of thinking a chance.