Green growth

Preface

Mitigating climate change and biodiversity loss are among the central challenges of our time. Both these challenges and their solutions have significant economic and broader societal impacts.

Public debate tends to emphasise the negative effects of climate change and biodiversity loss. However, with appropriate measures, the costs of the green transition can remain moderate, and, for example, technological advances associated with it can enhance productivity and well-being. Especially for a small and advanced open economy such as Finland, the green transition also represents a positive opportunity.

The starting point of this book is that outcomes crucial for nature and the environment arise from interactions between people. The book examines in a multifaceted way how social, political, and economic activity can be directed onto a more sustainable path from the perspective of nature and the environment—towards green growth.

Although the causes of environmental and ecological problems are well understood, not everyone is willing to pay for solving them. The necessary political decisions are unlikely to be achieved by promising only additional hardship. Means are needed to maintain the level of well-being (and possibly growth) while addressing these challenges. There are no guarantees of success, but efforts must be made.

A market economy is effective in producing solutions to problems, provided that it is guided appropriately. The direction of technological development is not predetermined; it can be influenced. Economic growth does not have to occur at the expense of nature and the environment.

Concrete and significant consequences of environmental challenges are already evident. Temperatures of the climate and the oceans are rising rapidly. At the same time, wind and solar power are no longer expensive small-scale energy sources; their share in energy production is increasing rapidly on market terms. The energy transition has become economically rational, even without assigning full value to environmental considerations.

The green transition is essential for our living environment. By acting rationally and swiftly, we can also invigorate our sluggish economy through green growth. This book addresses the means to achieve this.

The steering group thanks the researchers for the successful implementation of the project and Business Finland for its support. (AI translation)

Publication Information

Hyytinen, A., Maliranta, M., Rouvinen, P., & Tahvanainen, A.-J. (eds.) (2024), Vihreä kasvu, Taloustieto Oy, Labore, Books 1. (Part of the ForGrowth project by Business Finland, Labore, and VTT.)

• ISSN: 2984-2069
• ISBN: 978-951-628-768-6
• Publication in PDF-format