Library

By: Marta Szkaradkiewicz, Jan Kazak, Szymon Szewranski

Abstract: The concept of ecosystem services has recently gained relatively a lot attention in the academic debates. The concept is derived from the ecological economics discipline. Thus it combines ecological implications and economic approach. The ecosystem services may be perceived as a different approach to the notion of natural capital which is one of the capitals sustainable development pa...

By: Federico Demaria, Giacomo D’Alisa, Giorgos Kallis (ed.)

Anti-utilitarianism, Bio-economics, Environmental Justice, Simplicity, Conviviality, Autonomy, Care, Commons, Dépense

By: Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers, Susanne Langsdorf

Abstract: A number of global megatrends are challenging the likelihood and feasibility of options for degrowth: Rising global population and affluence levels, proliferation of westernized lifestyles and production and consumption patterns with associated resource use needs and environmental impacts jeopardize the earth’s carrying capacity. Degrowth in the sense of socially sustainably and equit...

By: Enrique Ortega

Abstract: It seems necessary and urgent to establish a research net to integrate collaborative efforts between scientists concerned with degrowth and social and ecological recovery. We must develop a new Economic Science for critical analysis of global, macro-regional, national and micro-regional systems able to combine traditional parameters with new parameters needed to interpret new factors ...

By: Steffen Lange, Steffen Lange, Nicola Bullard, Nicola Bullard, Tadzio Müller, Tadzio Müller, Giorgos Velegrakis, Giorgos Velegrakis

Panel discussion at the the 4th International Degrowth Conference for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity in Leipzig in 2014. Speakers: Steffen Lange, Giorgos Velegrakis, Nicola Bullard Facilitation: Tadzio Müller Further below you can choose to start watching the video at a specific point, e.g. with the contribution of Nicola Bullard or just watch the discussion From the confe...

By: Manuel Linsenmeier, Jobst Heitzig

Abstract: In this work we use conceptual mathematical models to explore the role of feedbacks in the coupled climate-economy system under different economic scenarios. We combine different representations of the climate-economy feedback with three scenarios for the global economy: unconstrained background economic growth with slow decoupling of economic production from carbon emissions, economi...

By: Jutta Kill

The Price to Pay for Conservation? A critical exploration Rosa Luxemburg Foundation: 'Nature is destroyed because it’s invisible to politicians and business', advocates of economic valuation say. The implicit assumption: Create a ‘nature that capital can see’ and the loss of biodiversity will be stopped. But it isn’t that simple! Possibly far-reaching changes in perception and subtle change...

By: Hannes Fauser

Abstract: This short paper summarizes the development of railway services in Germany in the past two decades, which have been marked by commercialization, increased competition and attempts of privatization. I argue that these policies are misled from a social-ecological perspective and have only modestly performed in terms of shifting passengers and cargo towards railway transportation. The th...

By: Beatriz Saes, Ademar Romeiro

Abstract: Ecological economics recognizes the physical limits to economic growth, generating a paradigmatic criticism of mainstream economics. However, a macroeconomics corresponding to this vision hasn’t been consolidated. This paper describes the most relevant ecological macroeconomics alternatives; identify their bases in economic approaches and the main policies and measures suggestions. We...

By: Joachim H. Spangenberg

Abstract: It has been argued that degrowth would lead to a catastrophic economic collapse triggered by a collapse of stock exchange values. However, this analysis rests on several flawed assumptions: (i) an outdated view on stock market mechanisms and values (ii) the assumption that the stock market mechanisms would remain unchanged in a degrowth economy (iii) unchanged expectations of benefits...

By: Maurizio Ruzzene

Abstract: The current financial crises involve economic growth and its monetary institutions from many points of view, requiring widespread institutional changes. This paper will mainly focus on the structural problems that arise when financing Public Economies and Care Activities (PE&CA) in the tertiary age, of post growth or Actual de-growth. For many reasons PE&CA cannot systematical...

By: Frederik Larsen

Abstract: Solutions to the economic and environmental challenges the world is currently facing often introduce novel ideas and new ways forward. In a conceptual take on degrowth this paper presents an ethnographic study of an existing economic system, the second hand market, and argues that understanding how values are created in this market can contribute to a change towards greater sustainabi...

By: Andrea Stocker

Abstract: The paper is motivated by the assumption that low economic growth rates could be the normal case and not the exception in developed economies in the near and also in the far future. Several reasons imply limits on economic scale and thus limits to growth, e.g. resource scarcities, commodity price shocks, instability of financial markets, government debts, a decline in consumer confiden...

By: Ernst Hollander

Abstract: 40 years ago it was harder to opt out of 'the growth society', in the US than in Sweden. At home I expected good education disregarding income. Since then Sweden has been 'normalised'. In Polanyian terms – disembedded. The same forces applies mutatis mutandis to nation states. One factor is the arrangements for international flows of finance. An illustration is the rising ratio of glo...

By: Thomas H. Greco

Abstract: The global, interest-based, debt-money system is the primary driver of unsustainable growth, economic inequity, and environmental destruction. Almost all of the money in existence in the world today is created by banks when they make loans. The accrual of interest on these loans over time, causes the amount of debt to always exceed the means for its payment, so new loans must continua...

By: Christoph Gran

macroeconomics; degrowth; scenarios; welfare; ecological economics

By: Daniela Gottschlich

Abstract: Feminist approaches take the rationale of care as a normative guideline that offers an opportunity to deal with the numerous socio-ecological crises caused by e.g. the rationale of development and resource extractivism. Taking the accumulation of capital as a guiding principle does not have a neutral effect on the efforts to secure sustainable livelihoods. On the contrary, it promotes...

By: Gabriel Lombard

Abstract: Modern economists have accustomed us to put different things under the words wealth. Some authors of the past tackled more thoroughly the question of the nature of wealth and the correlated question of the role of money. We present three prominent examples of different periods but of a common spirit: the Physiocrat François Quesnay, in 18th. century France, the art-critic John Ruskin ...

By: Mark Lindley, Jan Otto Andersson

Abstract: A traditional, persistently mercantilist tendency of nation states has prevented them from cooperating sufficiently on macro-ecological problems of unprecedented urgency in the 21st century. The strength of this tendency is due historically to the fact that nation states, and the kind of patriotism which they engender, emerged together with internationally competitive capitalism. We p...

By: Ralf Döring

Abstract: The aim of the paper is to show that the Blue Growth strategy of the European Union again ignores the fact that ongoing increase in economic activity is not possible while decreasing negative impacts on ecosystems and preserving the natural environment. The strategy again is not defining ways to cope with limits to resource availability, the necessity to reduce negative external effec...