The environment–economic growth trade-off: does support for environmental protection depend on its economic consequences?

Andrew McNeil and Lucy Barnes

Ecological Economics, 2025, vol. 230, issue C

Abstract: Belief in a trade-off between economic growth and environmental protection is an important feature of the politics of environmental policy. Yet the prevalence and consequences – for policy positions – of this belief are only indirectly examined in dominant treatments of public attitudes. We investigate belief in the existence of the trade-off directly. Those who believe more strongly in the trade-off express more moderate policy views. However, increasing belief in the existence of the trade-off via experimental manipulation yields null effects on policy positions. Appealing to the trade-off to justify prioritising growth may not provide a logical defense in the eyes of the public.

Keywords: public opinion; Economic Growth; Political debate; Environmental sustainability; Climate change mitigation policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:230:y:2025:i:c:s0921800925000059

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2025.108522

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