Key Takeaways
- People want both prosperity and sustainability: Nearly half of people across 15 major markets (48% on average) now say economic growth and environmental protection should be given equal priority, a threefold increase from just 16 percent in 2017. This middle-ground stance has become the plurality view in most surveyed economies, reflecting a significant shift in public priorities over the past decade.
- Growth-at-all-costs support has plummeted, along with the tendency to prioritize protecting the environment without considering the impact on economic growth: Very few people now believe economic growth should be prioritized even if the environment suffers, a sharp decline since 2017. At the same time, fewer people now favor prioritizing environmental protection without regard for economic impacts, indicating declining support for zero‑sum thinking.
- A broad-based global shift: This re‑balancing is visible across major economies, cutting across developed and emerging markets alike, suggesting a widespread rethinking of the presumed trade‑off between prosperity and environmental protection.
GlobeScan’s latest Radar public opinion research underlines a global rethink of the presumed trade-off between the economy and the environment. Compared to a decade ago, far fewer people now see economic growth and environmental protection as mutually exclusive. Instead, they expect policymakers and businesses to pursue both goals in tandem. This shift comes as world leaders are also reevaluating the definition of “progress.” In February 2026, over 150 governments approved a landmark IPBES report warning that GDP-focused growth has fueled biodiversity loss and urged a transition to alternative models, from the circular economy to “inclusive wealth” and even degrowth strategies that deliver prosperity while safeguarding nature. Public opinion appears to be moving in the same direction, showing increasing openness to economic frameworks that advance development without destroying the environment.
The move toward balancing environmental and economic goals is evident in both emerging and developed economies. It jumped by roughly 45 percentage points in the UK and USA (from 1% and 3% in 2017 to 47% and 50% in 2025 saying “equal priority,” respectively). Massive increases are also seen in India (from 10% in 2017 to 48% in 2025) and Nigeria (18% to 59%), as well as in Brazil, where support for giving both goals equal priority soared from 12 percent to 47 percent. And in China, the percentage of those valuing both equally climbed from 13 percent to 33 percent. This striking convergence in opinion across regions suggests a widespread re-thinking of the old “environment versus economy” mindset.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Public opinion is moving decisively beyond the idea that societies must choose between economic growth and environmental protection. Across regions, people increasingly expect both goals to be pursued together. This stands in contrast to political narratives in some countries that frame environmental protection as a brake on economic progress.
For policymakers, this suggests greater social permission than often assumed to pursue economic strategies that integrate sustainability, resilience, and long‑term value creation. For NGOs and civil society, the data point to an opportunity to move beyond “environment versus economy” debates and advance shared solutions that resonate with a broad and increasingly aligned public consensus. And for businesses, these findings strengthen the case for embedding sustainability into core business models and value creation approaches rather than treating it as a constraint or risk.
This analysis is based on a representative online survey of over 30,000 people across 33 markets tracked over time. It draws upon GlobeScan’s extensive global public opinion research which spans more than two decades of insights. In 2017, this question was asked using an in-person and telephone methodology where some respondents volunteered DK/NA.
Survey Question: With which of these statements about the environment and the economy do you most agree? – Economic growth should be given priority, even if the environment suffers to some extent – Both should be given equal priority – Protecting the environment should be given priority, even at the risk of slowing down economic growth
Countries surveyed: Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Spain, Türkiye, UK, and USA.
