Can economic growth and sustainability coexist?

University of Cambridge

Matthew Agarwala, Stefan Lamp and Alessio Terzi talk to Rory Cellan-Jones about the trade-offs between economic growth and environmental protection, the policies and legislations needed to achieve green growth, and the challenges associated with implementing such measures. This episode unpacks the possibility of green growth. Leading experts discuss the unsustainability of current growth paths, the need for a new economic model and measures of wealth, and the types of policies needed to deliver both economic growth and environmental protection. This episode is hosted by Rory Cellan-Jones (former technology correspondent for the BBC), and features guest experts Matthew Agarwala (Bennett Institute), Stefan Lamp (TSE) and Alessio Terzi (Bennett Institute). Listen to this episode on your preferred podcast platform Season 3 Episode 5 transcript For more information about the podcast and the work of the institutes, visit our websites at https://www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/ and https://www.iast.fr/ Tweet us with your thoughts at @BennettInst and @IASToulouse With thanks to: • Audio production by Steve Hankey • Associate production by Stella Erker • Visuals by Tiffany Naylor Relevant links • Alessio Terzi (2022) ‘Growth for Good: Reshaping Capitalism to Save Humanity from Climate Catastrophe’ (Harvard University Press) • Coyle, D., Zenghelis, D., Agarwala, M., Wdowin, J., Lu, S. and Felici, M. (2019) ‘Measuring wealth, delivering prosperity: The Wealth Economy Project on Natural and Social Capital, Interim Report to LetterOne’ (Bennett Institute for Public Policy) • Agarwala, M., Cinamon Nair, Y., Cordonier Segger, M.C., Coyle, D., Felici, M., Goodair, B., Leam, R., Lu, S., Manley, A., Wdowin, J., Zenghelis, D. (2020). ‘Building Forward: Investing in a Resilient Recovery. Wealth Economy Report to LetterOne’ (Bennett Institute for Public Policy) • Diane Coyle ‘GDP: A Brief but Affectionate History’, March 2014, Princeton University Press, revised edition 2015 More information about our host and guests: Rory Cellan-Jones was a technology correspondent for the BBC. His 40 years in journalism have seen him take a particular interest in the impact of the internet and digital technology on society and business. He has also written multiple books, including “Always On” (2021) and his latest “Ruskin Park: Sylvia, Me and the BBC” which was published in 2023. @ruskin147 Matthew Agarwala is an economist interested in measuring and delivering sustainability, wellbeing, and productivity. His research is motivated by the belief that 21st century progress cannot be described by 20th century statistics. Matthew leads the Bennett Institute’s Wealth Economy project, which seeks to transform economic measurement to better reflect sustainability, inequality, and human wellbeing. @MatthewAgarwala Stefan Lamp is a Research Fellow at the Toulouse School of Economics. His research focuses mainly on the ongoing energy transition from a fossil-fuel economy towards renewable energy sources. Stefan is interested in three broad topics. First, the impact of climate change policies on individuals and firms. Second, the diffusion and adoption of new green technologies, such as solar photovoltaic panels. Third, the impact of the energy transition on electricity markets. Alessio Terzi is an Assistant Professor in Public Policy at the Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Cambridge. He is the author of Growth for Good (Harvard University Press, 2022). He is also an Economist at DG ECFIN of the European Commission, and an Adjunct Professor at Sciences Po and at HEC Paris. Prior to this, he was Affiliate Fellow at Bruegel, the leading European economics think-tank, and Fulbright Scholar at the Harvard Kennedy School. @terzibus