Is economic growth compatible with biodiversity, yes or no.

ChatGPT said:

No — not in the current dominant model of economic growth.

Modern economic growth, driven by continuous expansion, resource extraction, land use change, and consumption, has been a primary driver of biodiversity loss. Global assessments, like those by IPBES and the UN, consistently show that increased GDP correlates with ecosystem degradation, habitat destruction, and species extinction.

However, compatibility might be theoretically possible under radically restructured economic systems — such as:

• Degrowth or steady-state economies, where growth is decoupled from material throughput.

• Post-growth models that prioritize ecological limits and local livelihoods over profit.

• Ecological economics, which embeds the economy within planetary boundaries.

So if by “economic growth” you mean greenwashed business-as-usual, then no.
If you mean a redefinition of growth — toward regeneration, redistribution, and decommodification — then maybe.

But under capitalism as currently practiced: No.

You said:

Is economic growth compatible with biodiversity, yes or no?

Grok said: No

1.4s Can you back this up with empirical evidence

Grok said:

Economic growth often drives biodiversity loss through increased resource consumption, land-use change, and emissions, but some argue that with careful policy, growth can support conservation. Below, I summarize key empirical evidence from studies exploring the relationship between economic growth and biodiversity, addressing both the negative impacts and the potential for compatibility through decoupling or alternative approaches.

Evidence Linking Economic Growth to Biodiversity Loss Resource Consumption and Emissions: Studies show that economic growth, as measured by GDP, correlates with higher resource use and greenhouse gas emissions, which degrade ecosystems. For instance, global carbon dioxide emissions increase with GDP, with no evidence of absolute decoupling (where resource use declines while GDP grows) at a global scale. This contributes to habitat destruction and climate change, key drivers of biodiversity loss.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov A 2019 study found that between 2000 and 2011, economic and population growth increased impacts on bird species richness and carbon sequestration, despite some efficiency gains per unit of GDP. Cattle production and oil seed production (e.g., soybeans) were major drivers of biodiversity loss, particularly in Central and South America and Africa.tabledebates.org Land-Use Change: Human activities, driven by economic demands, have altered over 70% of ice-free land, primarily for agriculture, leading to habitat loss. For example, cattle farming is responsible for 28% of impending bird extinctions, largely due to deforestation in tropical regions.un.orgtabledebates.org In the U.S., a study from 1997–2011 across continental states found that species endangerment is highly correlated with GDP and population growth, indicating competitive exclusion of non-human species by economic expansion.ideas.repec.org Climate Change and Invasive Species: Economic growth contributes to climate change, which shifts species ranges and increases extinction risks. For example, 14% of global coral reefs were lost between 2009 and 2018 due to warming oceans, a byproduct of emissions tied to economic activity.un.org Invasive species, often spread through global trade enabled by economic growth, contribute to 60% of species extinctions, causing $423 billion in annual economic damage.who.int Biodiversity Loss Metrics: Since 1970, 35% of wetlands have been lost, and species extinction rates are 10–100 times higher than the natural baseline, largely due to economic activities like deforestation and habitat fragmentation.who.int The Dasgupta Review notes that between 1992 and 2014, while produced capital per person doubled, natural capital per person declined by nearly 40%, highlighting the trade-off between economic growth and biodiversity.royalsociety.org Evidence for Potential Compatibility Decoupling Hypotheses: The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) suggests that environmental degradation increases with income up to a point, then decreases as wealthier societies invest in conservation. However, evidence for this is mixed. Some studies show relative decoupling (resource use growing slower than GDP), but sustained absolute decoupling is rare globally.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govsciencedirect.com For example, in North America and Western Europe, reduced impacts on biodiversity were observed post-2007 financial crisis, suggesting that targeted policies can mitigate harm even during growth.tabledebates.org Conservation and Economic Benefits: Biodiversity supports over half of global GDP ($44 trillion), through ecosystem services like pollination, water purification, and carbon storage. Protecting these services can align with economic interests. For instance, nature-based solutions like wetland restoration in the Gulf of Mexico have benefit-cost ratios above 3.5, averting $50 billion in flood-related losses.pewtrusts.orgroyalsociety.org Ecotourism and sustainable agriculture demonstrate that biodiversity conservation can generate economic value. In the UK, ornamental plant cultivation, reliant on biodiversity, was worth £1.7 billion in 2023.en.wikipedia.org Policy and Market Innovations: Studies suggest that integrating biodiversity into economic planning, such as through the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA EEA), can support sustainable development. Policies like carbon taxes, polluter-pays principles, and biodiversity markets could align economic growth with conservation.sciencedirect.comblogs.adb.org Small-scale fisheries, though less GDP-productive than industrial fishing, provide higher social and economic value to local communities, suggesting alternative economic models can support biodiversity.blogs.adb.org Challenges and Critiques Incomplete Decoupling: While relative decoupling has occurred in some regions, absolute decoupling remains elusive, meaning economic growth still increases total resource use and emissions.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Valuation Issues: Assigning economic value to biodiversity is controversial and may not capture its intrinsic value or prevent market failures, like greenwashing in biodiversity markets.blogs.adb.orgpewtrusts.org Global vs. Local Impacts: Economic growth in wealthier nations often shifts biodiversity loss to developing regions via trade, complicating global conservation efforts.tabledebates.org Conclusion Empirical evidence strongly indicates that conventional economic growth, as currently structured, drives biodiversity loss through resource extraction, emissions, and land-use change. While some compatibility is possible through decoupling, conservation investments, or alternative economic models (e.g., prioritizing well-being over GDP), sustained absolute decoupling has not been achieved globally. Policies integrating biodiversity into economic frameworks and rethinking growth paradigms are critical to align economic development with biodiversity preservation. The evidence suggests that without significant policy shifts, economic growth remains largely incompatible with maintaining biodiversity at current levels.