Agrowth
{{Short description|Economic concept}}
{{Update|date=October 2024}}
Agrowth ("almost agnostic or atheistic about growth”) is a concept in economic policy according to which it is preferable to be indifferent to the growth of gross domestic product (GDP growth) when devising policies to further economic and societal progress.{{cite journal |last1=van den Bergh |first1=Jeroen C.J.M. |title=Environment versus growth — A criticism of 'degrowth' and a plea for 'a-growth' |journal=Ecological Economics |date=March 2011 |volume=70 |issue=5 |pages=881–890 |doi=10.1016/j.ecolecon.2010.09.035 }} The reasoning behind agrowth is that GDP growth does not correlate closely with such progress.{{cite journal |last1=Kalimeris |first1=Panos |last2=Richardson |first2=Clive |last3=Bithas |first3=Kostas |title=A meta-analysis investigation of the direction of the energy-GDP causal relationship: implications for the growth-degrowth dialogue |journal=Journal of Cleaner Production |date=March 2014 |volume=67 |pages=1–13 |doi=10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.12.040 }}
The concept has been particularly discussed in the context of environmental policy, where it is opposed to both green growth and degrowth.{{cite press release |title=The new theory of economic 'agrowth' contributes to the viability of climate policies |url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170310091944.htm |work=ScienceDaily |publisher=Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona |date=10 March 2017 }} Agrowth is supported by many scientists.{{cite news |last1=Savin |first1=Ivan |last2=King |first2=Lewis |title=Idea of green growth losing traction among climate policy researchers, survey of nearly 800 academics reveals |url=https://theconversation.com/idea-of-green-growth-losing-traction-among-climate-policy-researchers-survey-of-nearly-800-academics-reveals-213434 |work=The Conversation |date=20 September 2023 }}{{cite journal |last1=van den Bergh |first1=Jeroen C. J. M. |title=A third option for climate policy within potential limits to growth |journal=Nature Climate Change |date=February 2017 |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=107–112 |doi=10.1038/nclimate3113 |bibcode=2017NatCC...7..107V |hdl=1871.1/55d55cfa-2617-4e8a-b21c-fbc02ee19eea |url=https://research.vu.nl/en/publications/55d55cfa-2617-4e8a-b21c-fbc02ee19eea |hdl-access=free }}{{cite journal |last1=Lehmann |first1=Cathérine |last2=Delbard |first2=Olivier |last3=Lange |first3=Steffen |title=Green growth, a-growth or degrowth? Investigating the attitudes of environmental protection specialists at the German Environment Agency |journal=Journal of Cleaner Production |date=February 2022 |volume=336 |pages=130306 |doi=10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.130306 |s2cid=245721607 }}