To put this in perspective, global GDP contracted by 2.7% in 2020, at the height of the pandemic. Moreover, achieving net-zero emissions requires trillions of dollars in investment, which will add to, not subtract from, economic growth. Either way, economic growth was inevitable. In fact, using limited inputs more efficiently is the definition of economic productivity – which, in turn, boosts growth. Staving off climate catastrophe will require more growth, not because ever-increasing GDP – itself a fundamentally inadequate metric – is the end goal, but because it is the result of cutting emissions fast enough.

Source: Stuff May 04, 2024 13:01 UTC