Zeszyty Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczecińskiego. Współczesne Problemy Ekonomiczne

The subject of the considerations is to present the issues related to the contemporary phase of globalization and economic growth in line with the principles of sustainable development. It seems that the development of civilization of mankind, rapid technological and scientific progress which has been made in recent years and increasingly rapid progress of globalization should accelerate the process of “repair of the world” and to ensure economic development in line with the principles of sustainable development in areas: economic, social and environmental. Unfortunately, it turns out that, as in some areas we managed to achieve the intended effects, in other areas these effects are unsatisfactory. The activities of international organizations, which should ensure effective interaction of governments and achieving of the transnational and global goals does not always ensure that these goals are achieved at least in the intended time. So what is the problem? Why not all so important to the world issues related to the sustainable development are not solved despite such far-reaching development of mankind? Why do we allow to huge multinational corporations, which are almost a symbol of modern globalization, exploit the gaps, e.g. in the environmental law in less developed countries and relocate their production there, blatantly using natural resources and contributing to the deepening of processes of environmental degradation? The answer is in constant pursuit of governments to economic growth expressing in the size of produced goods and services. However, societies the so-conceived economic growth associate with the continuous desire to improve living conditions, which translates into a continuous increase their economic status by acquiring more and more goods and services. The Humankind cannot cope with the problems, which resolving would require less renunciation and often the lifestyle changes but most of all the change in the way of thinking. However, leveling costs of differences between societies in the global economy are and are likely to be higher and higher.