This provides the very rationale for the concept of poles of clean and sustainable growth developed in this Review, which would contribute to re-establishing equilibrium between supply and demand, and moving towards patterns of production and consumption along sustainable development lines. What is required in the medium and long term for broadening the base and enhancing the impact of the growth-poles approach is a supportive policy framework, including, for example, the removal of perverse subsidies, public support for research and development (R&D), as well as the diffusion and operational deployment of technologies, green public procurement and government-backed green financing schemes. These should be supported by price signals (a blend of carbon/material taxes and emissions trading) to induce a shift to a low-carbon and material-efficient economy.