six years after its onset in a global economic climate characterised in many oecd economies by slow growth and high unemployment countries continue to deal with the consequences and adjust to a new reality furthermore a primary focus on economic growth often at the expense of other policy objectives resulted in growth being considered an end in itself rather than a means to improve the wellbeing of the population a key aspect of this interconnectedness and complexity relates to the relationship between growth environment and social outcomes with a good understanding of the relationship between environmental policies and economic growth vital for policymakers aiming to achieve greener growth