Uneconomic growth is the growth of an economy in which the costs outweigh the benefits. In this sense, growth in an economy is deemed "uneconomic" if the costs associated with it – such as environmental degradation, social injustice and increasing inequality – are greater than the economic gains associated with it.

Although our economic systems offer immense benefits, including improved quality of life and economic stability, they do not always accurately reflect the true costs of growth. The negative externalities associated with uneconomic growth, such as air and water pollution, are not typically incorporated into the calculations of economists and decision-makers. As a result, true costs of growth in our economies are often ignored.

Uneconomic growth can have far-reaching consequences. For instance, depletion of natural resources leads to a decrease in availability of resources for future generations, climate change leads to rising sea levels and melting glaciers, and inequality can lead to political tensions. In addition, economic instability stemming from the uneconomic growth of an economy can pose a challenge to businesses. Businesses in such an economy may struggle to pay employees, make long-term investments, and make profits in sustainable ways.

In an effort to reduce the damaging effects of uneconomic growth, socially responsible investing (SRI) has become increasingly popular. SRI is an investment philosophy that integrates environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) factors into an investment decision process. SRI funds strive to limit uneconomic growth by investing in companies that adhere to certain standards of environmental and social responsibility. These funds offer investors the opportunity to invest in companies that are committed to sustainable profit and growth.

Unfortunately, it appears that current rates of growth are more than twice the rate of sustainable growth. This has resulted in a situation where uneconomic growth is rampant, and damaging effects of this unsustainable growth on both the environment and society are becoming increasingly evident. The solution to uneconomic growth does not lie in variations of growth-centric policies, rather it lies in the shift from growth-oriented systems of economic production towards ones that prioritize quality of life and sustainability in the long term.