The global economy’s reliance on perpetual growth is driving climate change and ecological breakdown. However, many countries are now struggling to grow their economies due to various economic challenges. Researchers in ecological economics propose a different approach called degrowth, which involves scaling down destructive forms of production, focusing on human needs and well-being, and enabling low- and middle-income countries to pursue growth. Policies to support degrowth include reducing unnecessary production, improving public services, introducing a green jobs guarantee, reducing working time, and enabling sustainable development. Implementing degrowth faces challenges related to dependencies on growth, funding public services, managing working-time reductions, reshaping provisioning systems, and overcoming political opposition. Government action, strong social movements, and interdisciplinary research are necessary for a transition to a just and ecological future without relying on growth.
| Signal | Change | 10y horizon | Driving force |
|---|---|---|---|
| Call for degrowth as an alternative to growth-driven economies | Shift from growth to sustainability | Economies focused on human needs and well-being | Desire to address climate change and ecological breakdown |