I’ve been following Degrowth proponents for some time now and their analyses of the complex interrelated, multi-dimensional problems humanity faces is I think accurate and solution focused. Degrowth is NOT ABOUT LIVING in CAVES. Countries such as New Zealand and Finland are attempting to implement some aspects of Degrowth, for example by moving away from ever growing per capita GDP as a measure of an economies health. It can not be about endless exponential growth of material and energy use – clearly unsustainable on a finite planet, as many scientists have pointed out for years, and that economists and politicians have failed to address, as they represent in the main the interests of Capital, not the people.
The focus/goals instead of an economy should be on universal well being and being able to live a good life, within ecologically sustainable planetary boundaries.
For information on planetary boundaries research see:
Stockholm Resilience Centre
Degrowth proponents also critique from example The Green New Deal and also the circular economy as being insufficient in turning a global sick economic system around, and therefore ultimately unsustainable!!
A couple of leading Degrowth proponents and presentations/discussions by/with them are given in the links below:
Dr Jason Hickel – economic anthropologist – See his book Less is More – it critically assesses the history and failure of capitalist economics (whether State or ”Free market”), particularly under the neo-liberal ideology for the past 40 years, identifies the fundamental problems with the GROWISM of current economics, and most importantly, he proposes solutions – https://www.jasonhickel.org/about See his challenging presentation:
Dr Julie Steinberger – physicist and ecological economist https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Steinberger See this presentation:
(20) Julia Steinberger: Is it possible to live well within planetary limits? – YouTube
Dr Mark Diesendorf – Uni of NSW https://research.unsw.edu.au/people/dr-mark-diesendorf See this presentation re Australia and Sustainable Energy Transition
(20) A Sustainable Energy Future: Dr Mark Diesendorf 21 June 2021 – YouTube
Other researchers I follow, whose work reinforces the need for Degrowth, include:
Dr Manfred Lenzen – physicist – lots of work on input/output analysis of energy and material flows https://isa.org.usyd.edu.au/research/MLenzen.shtml
Dr Simon Michaux – Circular economy researcher – https://www.simonmichaux.com/ Expertise in mining and circular economy, and problems of achieving sustainable society with massive mining requirements in a shift to renewables in a continually global growing economy at 3% pa, = doubling of global material and energy use in 23 years!!
Technological optimists like Tony Seba or Elon Musk argue technology solves all problems!! https://tonyseba.com/ I don’t think his analysis is valid – it fundamentally doesn’t address underlying issues of exponential growth on a finite planet.
Just Google them and have a listen to their presentations. I welcome constructive feedback.
Trevor Berrill
14 June 2023
Sustainable Energy Systems Engineer and Educator (retired)
Thanks very much for the article and links Trevor.