Moving Toward Degrowth: Is It Possible for the G20?

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Published: Dec 13, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.56476/jed.v50i2.77
Keywords:
Degrowth, Sustainable Development, Climate Policy, Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC), Environmental Degradation, Socio-economic Resilience, Carbon Emissions, Economic Growth, Energy Consumption, Agricultural Production, Panel Quantile Regression, G20 Countries, International Environmental Policy, Macroeconomic Sustainability Planning, Green Transition, Post-Growth Economics, Environmental–Economic Trade-offs, Policy Coordination in Global Governance

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Hussain Mohammed A. Alobaid
College of Business, King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia
Fakhri Issaoui
College of Business at King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4261-3361

Abstract

This study examines the feasibility of transitioning toward a degrowth paradigm within G20 economies, emphasizing the interplay between carbon emissions, economic growth, agricultural production, and energy consumption. Employing panel quantile regression techniques, the analysis investigates heterogeneous effects across the distribution of environmental and economic indicators, offering a nuanced understanding beyond mean-based estimations. Findings reveal that current growth-oriented policies are strongly associated with environmental degradation, challenging the sustainability of conventional economic models. The results suggest that a strategic reorientation toward degrowth, accompanied by structural reforms in energy use and production systems, could mitigate ecological impacts while fostering long-term socio-economic resilience. The implications highlight the urgent need for coordinated international policies that integrate environmental priorities into macroeconomic planning, particularly for high-emission, high-growth nations in the G20.

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How to Cite
Alobaid , Hussain Mohammed A., and Fakhri Issaoui. 2025. “Moving Toward Degrowth: Is It Possible for the G20?”. Journal of Energy and Development 50 (2):123–145. https://doi.org/10.56476/jed.v50i2.77.
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Vol. 50 No. 2 (2025): Journal of Energy and Development
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Articles
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Author Biographies

Hussain Mohammed A. Alobaid , College of Business, King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia

Professor Hussain M. Alobaid is a Full Professor of Economics and Chair of the Economics Department at the College of Business, King Khalid University in Saudi Arabia (Asir–Abha, P.O. Box 960 – Postal Code 61421). He received his Ph.D. in Economics from Colorado State University (USA), an M.S. in Economics from Western Illinois University (USA), and an M.S. in Human Resources Studies from Colorado State University (USA). He is also a member of the Board of Trustees at the University of Business and Technology (Saudi Arabia). His research interests include energy economics, economic development, labor economics, consumer behavior, and welfare economics. Dr. Alobaid has published several articles in journals such as the Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science, International Journal of Economics and Finance Studies, and Cahiers Économiques.

Fakhri Issaoui, College of Business at King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia

Professor Fakhri Issaoui is a Full Professor of Economics and Management in the College of Business at King Khalid University (Asir–Abha, P.O. Box 960 – Postal Code 61421) and an affiliate of the Research Laboratory of Prospective, Stratégies et Développement Durable (PS2D) at the University of Tunis El Manar. He received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Tunis El Manar (Tunisia). His research interests include public and labor economics, economic development, economic justice, macroeconomics, and growth in transitioning economies. Dr. Issaoui has published more than 100 articles in journals such as Water Resources Management, Sustainable Futures, International Journal of Teacher Education and Professional Development (IJTEPD), Challenges in Sustainability, Panoeconomicus, The Journal of Energy and Development, Journal of Cyber Warfare and Terrorism, Journal of the Knowledge Economy, International Journal of Computational Economics and Econometrics, African Sociological Review, International Journal of Green Computing, Economic Research Guardian, and International Journal of Sustainable Economies Management, among others.

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