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When is growth sustainable? A simple model for undergraduates

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  • Gregory Casey

Abstract

This article presents a simple dynamic model that allows students to determine when economic growth is compatible with environmental sustainability. The model captures two key forces: the slowing of economic growth and the decoupling of economic growth from environmental damage. The model highlights a key observation that students often find counterintuitive: economic growth is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for crossing a sustainability target, such as keeping global average surface temperatures from rising more than 1.5 °C above pre‑industrial levels. The model is solved by taking the sum of a geometric series. It is designed for undergraduate courses that do not require calculus, but could be applicable in a wider range of settings.

Suggested Citation

  • Gregory Casey, 2026. "When is growth sustainable? A simple model for undergraduates," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(2), pages 168-181, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jeduce:v:57:y:2026:i:2:p:168-181
    DOI: 10.1080/00220485.2025.2607680
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