On the origin and evolution of the green economy

This study analyses the evolution of the green economy concept in the context of global challenges to sustainable development. It focuses on the key stages in the formation of the concept (1970–1990s – formation of theoretical foundations; 2000–2010s – institutionalization; since 2020 – differentiation of approaches), as well as the analysis of the factors that determine the diversity of modern strategies for the transition to the green economy. The study identified four dominant paradigms of the green economy: resourceefficient, institutional, social-transformational, and technological-innovative. It showed that the differences between these approaches are fundamental and determine the specifics of national models. The study confirmed the hypothesis about the non-linear nature of the evolution of the green economy, where progress in some areas is often accompanied by stagnation in others. The practical significance of the study lies in thedevelopment of differentiated recommendations for the formation of sustainable development strategies, taking into account the level of technological development; the quality of the institutional environment; and the specifics of the socio-economic context.