Icarus Economics

Every leader comes to power promising growth. Think back to the campaigns of Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer, and Donald Trump. Yet real-term incomes in the UK have barely improved since 2008.

Across the West, economic growth has stagnated for well over a decade, contributing to cost-of-living crises, political instability, and rising social tensions. Is meaningful economic growth still possible? And with the climate emergency accelerating, should we still be pursuing it?

In Icarus Economics, acclaimed economist John Rapley argues that the problem of growth is inseparable from the climate crisis. While it is often assumed that poorer countries will bear the greatest burden of climate change, pandemics, and other external shocks, Rapley contends that wealthy nations may be more vulnerable than we think. With greater concentrations of wealth and capital at risk, and less inherent resilience, Western societies have much to lose.

This book presents a compelling alternative vision: rich countries can stimulate their own economic growth by helping developing nations decarbonize. In doing so, they can foster global prosperity while also mitigating the effects of climate change.

Timely and thought-provoking, Icarus Economics offers a fresh perspective on the interconnected challenges of growth, inequality, and environmental sustainability.