The table shows changes in two economies over the same year.
| Economy | Real GDP growth | Change in emissions | Main source of growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alder | 3.2% | +8% | Extraction of a finite mineral resource |
| Birch | 2.1% | -2% | Investment and worker training |
Which assessment is best?
Alder's growth is more sustainable, because its faster growth rate shows its capacity to produce is expanding more quickly
Both economies' growth is equally sustainable, because real GDP rose in each of them over the same year
Birch's growth is more sustainable, because it comes from investment and training and its emissions fell, even though Alder grew faster
Alder's growth gives the greater net benefit, because the cost of its extra emissions is already deducted from its real GDP
78 exam-style questions on OCR GCSE Economics 3.1 Economic growth, covering 3.1.1 What is economic growth, 3.1.2 Calculate economic growth using GDP, 3.1.3 Explain how growth is measured, 3.1.4 Analyse GDP data, 3.1.5 Determinants of economic growth, and 3.1.6 Costs and benefits of economic growth. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.