How the Concept of “Regenerative Good Growth” Could Help Increase Public and Policy Engagement and Speed Transitions to Net Zero and Nature Recovery

Just and fair transitions to low-carbon and nature-positive ways of living need to occur fast enough to limit and reverse the climate and nature crises, but not so fast that the public is left behind. We propose the concept of “Regenerative Good Growth” (RGG) to replace the language and practice of extractive, bad GDP-growth. RGG centres on the services provided by five renewable capitals: natural, social, human, cultural and sustainable physical. The term “growth” tends to divide rather than unite, and so here we seek language and storylines that appeal to a newly-emergent cli-mate-concerned majority. Creative forms of public engagement that lead to response diversity will be essential to fostering action: when people feel coerced into adoption of single options at pace, there is a danger of backlash or climate authoritarianism. Policy centred around storytelling can help create diverse public responses and institutional frameworks. The practices underpinning RGG have already created business opportunity, while delivering sharp falls in unit costs. Fast transitions and social tipping points are emerging in agricultural, energy and city sectors. Though further risks will emerge related to rebound effects and lack of decoupling of material consump-tion from GDP, RGG will help cut the externalities of economies.