Is Green Growth Good for the Poor?
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Is Green Growth Good for the Poor?

Stefan Dercon
World Bank, 2012
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Professor of development economics Stefan Dercon posits that tackling environmental issues may undermine developing nations’ economic growth, hindering efforts to reduce poverty. Is “green growth” a solution? Though his analysis is speculative and could use a deft editorial hand, Dercon adds fresh views to an important discourse. getAbstract recommends his article to environmentalists, social activists and policy makers.

Summary

Environmental degradation impinges more severely on the poor than the rich. In rural areas, they depend on agriculture and, thus, are vulnerable to climate change. Damage to natural resources – water, forests, soil – threatens their livelihoods. In urban areas, the impoverished suffer the effects of overcrowding and pollution. Dwindling access to clean air and water puts the poor at risk of disease. In all areas, needy inhabitants are largely defenseless against extreme weather events. To understand the nature of poverty, consider three factors:

  1. “Sectoral elements” – The majority of the world’s rural...

About the Author

Stefan Dercon is a professor of development economics at Oxford University.

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