Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, 2026, 9(8); doi: 10.25236/AJHSS.2026.090803.
Wang Shangqi
Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350177, China
This article examines the causes and limitations of U.S. “green growth” between 1970 and 2001. It argues that the relative decoupling of economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions resulted from two main factors: the growing political importance of environmental protection and major changes in the economic structure. The expansion of the service sector and decline of traditional manufacturing reduced the energy intensity of the U.S. economy. However, some polluting industries were relocated abroad, meaning that pollution was partly transferred rather than eliminated. The U.S. experience shows that economic growth and environmental protection can coexist, but global sustainable development remains a major challenge.
Environmental History; Sustainable Development; American Green Growth; Economic Restructuring; Emission Decoupling
Wang Shangqi. An Inquiry into the Causes of “Green Growth” in the United States (1970–2001). Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences (2026), Vol. 9, Issue 8: 15-20. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJHSS.2026.090803.
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