Att miljöjustera den ekonomiska tillväxten

Sammanfattning: This essay aims to investigate which results can be derived from an economic growth rate that has been adjusted for environmental damage. In order to do so the usual BNI per capita growth is compared with an adjusted BNI per capita growth. The adjusted growth is derived from the World Banks Adjusted net savings, a way of measuring a nation’s wealth development through the national savings. This measurement is unique in that way, that other economical environmental damage measurements so far have not included carbon dioxideand particulate emission damage. The comparison between the usual and the adjusted growth is tested by economic theories like the Catch up hypothesis and the environmental Kuznets curve. The thesis also wants to cast further light on whether Adjusted net savings is a good starting point for the measurement of adjusted environmental growth. The results show that the adjusted BNI per capita growth can serve as an indicator of whether the environmental damage as a percentage of BNI is increasing or declining. It could also influence policymakers to focus more on sustainability. However there are shortcomings with the Adjusted net savings as a measurement, for example that it doesn't account for global environmental justice. Therefore the essay addresses how more equality between income groups can be reached in an environmental context.