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Stimulating a More Sustainable Economy
September 26, 2014

Six years on from the onset of the global financial crisis, economic growth remains weak in high income nations despite the availability of very low interest rates. A new book by a group of prominent economists argues that overcoming stagnation will require governments to actively stimulate their economies on a continuing basis. While prompted by macro-economic considerations, the proposed economic stimulus also would offer an opportunity for the massive investments in enhanced efficiency, renewable energy, and other projects required to transition to a sustainable economy. The time is ripe for making this link between economic and environmental imperatives: the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate finds that making the investments to combat climate change, rather than harming the economies, would have a net economic benefit. Environmentalists and economists are finally on the same page—now, we just need a stimulus in political will.