Growth at all costs: at what cost?
Date
2025
Authors
Watson, Emma
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Victoria
Abstract
This study draws on survey data collected in Fall of 2023 by Qualtrics, through a 20-minute online survey, regarding citizens' opinions on various environmental policies and growth paradigms. The survey was administered in five countries: Australia, Chile, Mexico, Morocco, and the United Kingdom (UK). Information was gathered on respondents' demographics, including age, income, education level, and gender. The objective of this research is to determine the characteristics and external factors that lead individuals to believe in the growth paradigm "growth-at-all-costs" (GAAC). This paradigm suggests that the government should aim to grow the economy without trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The prominence of this belief—with 15% of all respondents selecting it—suggests individuals are concerned with economic growth and prosperity being diminished at the cost of environmental policies, a concern worsened by recent events like the COVID-19 pandemic, and Brexit (for respondents located in the UK), which negatively impacted the real gross domestic product and employment rates of the countries surveyed. Understanding the factors that lead citizens to prioritize economic growth over the environment can help policymakers determine where to place emphasis—either on more robust environmental education policies in elementary schools or increased economic and policy communication from the government.
Description
Keywords
economic growth, environmental policy, surveying, growth paradigms