Is Economic Growth compatible with the Fight Against Climate Change?

Is Economic Growth compatible with the Fight Against Climate Change?

Thursday 27 October 2022, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

>Room H101, 28 rue des Saints-Peres

Registration is compulsory: register here

Historically, industrialization, capitalism, and affluence have contributed to the emissions that are warming the planet’s atmosphere. As humanity starts to grapple with the Herculean challenge of climate change, should economic growth be abandoned to stand a chance of success? Would this lead to a better society, especially in already rich nations, freeing them from pointless consumerism? 

Alessio Terzi argues that growth is underpinned by the human quest for happiness, well-being and self-determination, and contributes to the stability of liberal democracy, the peaceful conduct of politics and international relations, and the very way our society is organized: capitalism. Ditching it would not only prove impractical but would also sow chaos, exacerbating conflict within and between societies.

Alessio Terzi draws an agenda to enrol capitalism in the fight to stave off climate catastrophe and details a plan involving an activist government, proactive business, and engaged citizens.

GUEST SPEAKER

Alessio Terzi, Economist, European Commission 

Alessio Terzi, a lecturer at HEC Paris and Sciences Po Lille, is an Economist at the European Commission. Prior to this, he was a Fellow at Bruegel and a Fulbright Scholar at the Harvard Kennedy School. He also has work experience with the European Central Bank. He obtained a PhD from the Hertie School with a thesis on economic growth, holds an MPA in economic policy from the LSE, and a BSc in international economics from Bocconi University. He is the author of Growth for Good. Reshaping Capitalism to Save Humanity from Climate Catastrophe (Harvard University Press, 2022). His research and commentaries have appeared in leading media outlets including BBC World News, Financial Times, and the Wall Street Journal.

MODERATOR

Paul Malliet, Economist, OFCE, Sciences Po

Paul Malliet is a senior economist at the French Economic Observatory (OFCE), a research center of Sciences Po. He works on macroeconomic modelling of climate and energy transition policies and part of the team working on the development of the model THREEME (Multisector Macroeconomic Model for the Evaluation of Environmental and Energy policy) conjointly with the French Environmental Agency (ADEME). Its latest research includes carbon accounting from consumption-based perspective, redistributive impacts of the climate and energy policies and economic impacts and the assessment of economic impact of low-carbon economy transition.