Why we should question the pursuit of economic growth today

Economic growth can lift people out of poverty and new techniques and investments often seem essential to meeting basic human needs. Which is more important, human beings or nature? This question may feel overwhelming, but I believe this is basically the key issue people must consider when they have to decide between economic growth and sustainability.

I would prioritize nature, after I considered following arguments. For me, humans act like parasites on Earth, gradually destroying it through our wasteful way of life. On the other hand, one could surely argue that we don’t owe the planet something and it‘s not our fault we are what we are and have the needs we have. I see this point of view too, but the problem with this argument is that we don’t live alone on Earth and it is essential to protect wildlife and plants.

Another argument often cited in favor of economic growth is short-term necessity. In times of crisis, it is sometimes necessary to stimulate economic growth and improve people‘s lives. This is the only situation in which I find it understandable and can justify when prioritizing economy over environmental protection.

The last point to consider is technological advancement. Short-term destruction could lead to innovation and then into solving environmental problems. While this argument is true in theory, the short-term destruction that happens when we prioritize innovation is irreversible.

This argument directly leads to the following points: no matter what we do, the damage we have caused cannot be reversed by any amount of economic growth. Therefore, we must carefully consider whether a short-term growth actually benefits our economic system or if it is pursued merely for convenience. Ultimately, this means that we must ask ourselves this question in order to build a better environment for all of us.

For me, the next argument is the most important one and it also challenges the previous ones. The concept of a „False Dichotomy“ suggests that economic growth and environmental protection don’t have to be at odds, there can be sustainable development models. In the past, I have chosen environmental protection over economic growth, and if I had to, I‘d choose our environment without hesitation. But who says, that we can‘t have both objectives if we compromise a little bit and create a system that benefits both economics and nature? We humans have a moral responsibility to protect the environment we are born in, but this doesn’t mean we can’t grow economically and invest in new technologies. We could, for example, invest in renewable energy and green infrastructure, which creates new jobs and opportunities.

At last, I want to emphasize that perfection is not required in order to do something meaningful about climate change. It‘s the little things that help our planet and we should begin taking small, climate-friendly actions immediately, like trying to reduce our plastic waste at home, using public transportation or we could help our environment by reducing our meat consumption. Because: can we truly afford to wait any longer? If we choose capitalism and economic growth over nature, we must ask ourselves who benefits and who suffers. What kind of society do we want to be? One that values short-term gains or one that demonstrates wisdom and restraint?

For me, the answer is clear. If you don’t agree with me, that’s fine. However, I encourage you to reflect on whether we have an ethical duty to protect the environment, regardless of the economic consequences for yourself. The first step to change is curiosity and the willingness to take small actions.

reference list:

• dandc.eu (2023). Why and how we should question growth – Debates on the feasibility of continuous economic growth have increased. Available at: https://www.dandc.eu/en/article/debates-feasibility-continuous-economic-growth-have-increased-thinking-about-degrowth Accessed 30 Sept. 2025.
• Economics Observatory (2023). #studentviews: Should we really aim for ‘growth, growth and growth’? Available at: https://www.economicsobservatory.com/studentviews-should-we-really-aim-for-growth-growth-and-growth Accessed 30 Sept. 2025.
• New Internationalist (2013). Economic growth argument. Available at: https://newint.org/sections/argument/2013/05/01/economic-growth-argument Accessed 30 Sept. 2025.