Overcoming the Inequalities of Green Transition
The International Summer School of Political Ecology 2023 will explore growing inequalities and address the question why concepts such as environmental justice or just transition are increasingly important in discussions on how to tackle the environmental crisis without deepening inequalities.
The consequences of climate change, mass extinction of species, loss of habitats and pollution lead to general environmental and ecological issues that are appearing more than ever on the political agenda, as they affect and influence us all, albeit in a very unequal way. They have distinctly negative impacts on different regions in the world, societies, classes, groups of people and other living beings. The most vulnerable are the least responsible for the environmental crisis, but are usually the most affected.
Policy measures for protecting environment and climate that have been or are yet to be adopted are likely to lead to more inequalities and other undesirable social consequences: undermining social cohesion and reducing social welfare, as well as preventing just solutions to environmental issues.
The focus of the Summer School will be on the growing inequalities within and between countries, and how our societies and economy can be organised in ways that do not exacerbate these inequalities, but also do not further harm our planet.
For more information, see here.
Thirty four years ago I published Abandon Affluence and Growth, with negligible effect, so it has been hugely satisfying to see the recent emergence of a degrowth movement. However, I believe some aspects of the movement need greater attention. Degrowth transition strategies especially should deal more effectively with the sheer magnitude of the problem we are facing. The magnitude of the prob...
The Support Group of the International Conferences on Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity met in Villarceaux, outside Paris, at the end of January. It was decided that the 7th International Degrowth Conference will take place in Manchester at the beginning of September 2020. The Manchester local organising committee sent a very strong application titled "Building Alt...
We all use models in daily life to explain our environment. An example: I assume that a tree will grow provided it has sufficient water, nutrients and sun. I am using a simple model here, without understanding the nitty-gritty – what exactly happens in the roots, stem, leaves and cells. Thinking in models is not only useful to understand our world, but also to solve problems. Let’s assum...
