For several years, the degrowth movement has been working persistently to build community and connection between groups and across borders - whether through annual Degrowth Conferences or the more informal Degrowth Assemblies that have often accompanied them.
Some members of the degrowth realities that are represented on the map met for the first time on the 20th of August 2018 in Freetown Christiania (Copenhagen, Denmark). They exchanged good practices around ecological sustainability and social equity, discussed about the future of the planet, and initiated several international working groups (Activists and Practitioners, Research, Communication, Networking, Artists and Designers, Narratives, and Education) that later met throughout the 6th international degrowth conference, which took place in Malmö, Sweden (August 21-25, 2018). Those groups work in order to provide the degrowth movement with opportunities for both theoretical and practical engagement at the local and global level. As an example, the “Global Degrowth Day – Good Life for All” took place for the first time on the 1st of June 2019, with multiple actions all over the world. At first, to organise this movement that connects both people active in local degrowth groups and people engaged in international working groups, a mailing list was used.
On 23th August 2021, the 2nd assembly of the international degrowth movement was held online as a preconference event to the 8th International Degrowth Conference (The Hague). 30 to 40 representatives of degrowth groups worldwide participated in the meeting. Due to the impossibility to meet physically, no decisions were taken; several key issues for the degrowth movement were discussed: who we are; our mission and our priorities; international conferences and the structure of the movement.
There was no agreement on a name, as discussions were held on whether we are a movement, network or a community. There was agreement on calling ourselves "Degrowthers" and that the word “Degrowth” is good and strong and it is more and more needed in this fragile and ever changing world.
Most of the participants stressed the need not only to organize academic conferences but also to engage in (political) actions ("a lot of people are active on small practical nowtopias, the action part is the weakest part at the moment"); run concrete projects (e.g., actions at the COP, a European degrowth bike tour); and further disseminate degrowth (e.g. less scientific papers and more articles in newspapers, open letters, etc.). For the majority of people, in this phase, it was also crucial to establish stronger strategic alliances with movements that are engaged in similar struggles (e.g., Fridays for Future, Extinction Rebellion, Transition Towns & Ecovillages, indigenous and anarchist groups), in particular building some practical projects together. Similarly, it would be important to support the flourishment of new degrowth local groups, in particular in the Global South.
There was a consensus that in order to achieve these goals, in the near future it will be fundamental to better structure our network (with some coordination bodies) and to clarify our proposals (two groups proposed to write an updated manifesto). This should not to be a hierarchical, solid structure, but an informal and decentralized network - maybe inspired by holacratic models - with more clarity on structure and functioning (principles, methodology, roles, etc.).
The minutes of this assembly can be found here.
At the third degrowth assembly in Vienna, in Spring 2022, Degrowth groups continued to explore ways to build connection and provide the degrowth movement with a consistent voice without jeopardising its plurality and autonomy. However, this remained challenging due to the limited capacities of volunteer-run groups, unclear communication pathways, and unevenly distributed resources.
It was decided to address these challenges directly and discussed the possibility of creating a coordination group that could help solve problems between different working groups and provide guidance on a spokesperson for the movement, budget allocations, and the implementation of new projects. Recognising the level of planning needed for such an endeavour, the 2022 Assembly created an open collective entitled Organising the Degrowth Network, or ODN, with a 1 year mandate of proposing a structure for an international degrowth network and outlining ways it could make democratic decisions on behalf of the movement. The mandate given was:
- Mapping the network and explore the needs of the different nodes
- Management of the map of degrowth groups and movement mailing list
- Following the guidelines that will emerge from the Vienna meeting develop a clear proposal for the new structure and functioning of the degrowth network (composition and functions of the assembly and the coordination group, methodology, nomination/election, etc.). That proposal will be presented, discussed and approved (or not, or with modifications) at the next movement assembly that will be held within an year at the next international degrowth conference (Zagreb - August 2023)."
- To call and organize the next degrowth assembly that will be held in Zagreb, where some kind of elections of the new "coordination groups" will be done.
The minutes of this assembly can be found here.
During the following year, ODN members held numerous conversations, researched and evaluated different governing structures and decision-making processes, and sought and integrated feedback from within the degrowth movement. The ODN took inspiration from a renewed emphasis on strategy within the degrowth movement and the plea to create “an intentional organisational structure that can facilitate more effective strategising amongst degrowth actors, while also addressing problematic power dynamics, colonial attitudes, and patriarchal biases.” At the fourth Degrowth Assembly, the ODN presented a final draft of a proposal that included a list of degrowth values that would steer the network, a series of governing principles based on sociocracy, and guidance on using various tools to distribute power, such as how to create proposals, facilitate meetings, and assign people to roles.
On August 28th 2023, nearly 100 individuals representing over 25 degrowth groups and organisations from around the world gathered to discuss the proposal and gave feedback on its principles, structure, and its place within the future of the degrowth movement. The Assembly concluded by adopting the proposal and officially launching the International Degrowth Network (IDN) with various Circles dedicated to its continual improvement.
You can watch the entire assembly recording here.
In 2024, the International Assembly of the Degrowth Movement was organised by the IDN. Assemblies are the space for degrowthers, activists, practitioners, researchers, artists, IDN members, and allies to meet and exchange on how best to collaborate and spread degrowth ideas, policies and practices. Importantly, Assemblies are also a space to connect and share convivial experiences.
This year, 110 people joined us in person and over 40 online, with some even getting up at 3am to participate! Spirits were high, and the day was structured around convivial breaks.
The IDN was born from the previous Assembly, which took place in Zagreb, Croatia, and online in 2023. Therefore, this year’s Assembly dedicated a significant part of its time and attention to feedbacking on the direction taken by the IDN. Multiple breakout sessions made room for constructively discussing specific issues in smaller groups, but also for covering wider questions of strategy and related movement questions.
More info about the assembly here.
The International Degrowth Movement assemblies serve as vital opportunities to bond and share convivial experiences, encourage collaboration and organising, and make recommendations for degrowth transformations.
The International Degrowth Network (IDN) is organising the 6th International Degrowth Movement assembly in a way that maximises inclusivity and effectiveness, taking stock of the previous year’s experience.
The proposed assembly design reflects the expectations and aspirations of IDN members, ensuring that it provides value in areas they care about, including knowledge-building, collaboration, and action. It also allows space for non-IDN members to connect, network and build their capacities for degrowth transformations.
So that is why this year, we are shaking things up a little! The Assembly will involve three key phases:
The 11th International Degrowth Conference and the 18th Conference of the International Society for Ecological Economics will take place after the Assembly in Oslo. Find out more.
