A homework assignment for “green growthers”

Green growth proponents continue to produce flawed graphs that claim to show the decoupling of emissions from economic growth. These graphs are repeatedly critiqued, but the critiques are ignored, leading to a cycle of misleading representations. The latest iteration, now circulating on Dutch social media, is no different (see bottom-right graph). Instead of repeatedly doing their homework for them (again and again and again), let’s give green growth advocates a clear assignment: create a graph for the Netherlands—or better yet, for multiple high-income countries—that accurately compares emissions to economic growth (or even better, compares growth to various pollution flows and material resource uses). This graph should reflect historical and consumption-based data (so first, learn what this means), include all sources of environmental impact (don’t forget land use, air, and freight transportation), and ensure data transparency. It should also compare the results with global targets and fair-share responsibilities. Your grade will depend on how far back your data goes, the completeness of your sources, the range of material pressures included, and your engagement with the latest scientific literature.