YES

Achieving a “win–win” situation for economic growth and environmental protection requires that the needs of economic development be met with minimal environmental costs, or in other words, decoupling economic development from environmental damage. We now know, through the experiences of both developed and developing countries, that economic growth can complement environmental conservation and transitioning to a low-carbon economy can go hand-in-hand with increased access to economic opportunity and higher levels of well-being. Economic growth will be undermined without adequate environmental safeguards, and environmental protection will fail without economic growth. The earth's natural resources place limits on economic growth. Rather than pitting one priority against the other, they seek solutions that integrate economic development with environmental conservation. This might involve designing projects that utilize renewable resources, promote energy efficiency, or implement green infrastructure. This is due to the underlying thought that development policies promote economic well being, while environmental policies have been seen to be restricting it. Thus, for sake of sustainable development, there is a need to balance economic development with environmental protection. Of course, and it is essential for long term sustainability that they both do go hand in hand. Protecting the natural environment can raise costs, both during construction, and in the types of materials used, but often long term profitability is greater. The environment provides essential natural resources such as water, minerals, timber, and fossil fuels that are used in various industries. These resources form the basis of economic activities and contribute to the production of goods and services.Environmental protection is often seen in conflict with individual freedom and economic growth. The proponents of environmental protection suggest that the environment is a global resource that must be protected for future generations, even at the expense of economic growth and individual freedoms. Environmental policy which protects the environment, through regulations, government ownership and limits on external costs can, in theory, enable economic growth to be based on protection of the environmental resource.