mainstream economists mocked what they called the ‘alarmist cries’ of environmental critics who argued that economic growth was severely degrading Earth’s soils, oceans, ecosystems and climate. Still, they acknowledged that there was no proof of a direct link between economic growth and environmental clean-up, so they put forwards three possible explanations for it. First, as countries grow, they argued, their citizens can afford to start caring about the environment and so begin to demand higher standards; second, the nation’s industries can afford to start using cleaner technologies; and
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