The main call around the world is for economies, our nations to green their economy and to switch to renewables. The problem with renewables is A, they require much more in terms of minerals and materials to build the stations necessary like wind turbine plants and solar panels,. And also the fact that they simply do not generate enough energy. They cannot compete with fossil fuels in terms of output. One barrel of oil equates to the work of a single man over four years. That's why we've seen this huge explosive growth in the economy since we kind of found the dinosaur bones in the earth.
Imagine if we could support 10 billion people on our planet using just 60% of our current energy demands. Sound too good to be true? Not according to degrowth scholars.
Economic anthropologist and author, Jason Hickel, is one of the leading degrowth researchers leading the charge for ecosocialism. He says if we limit the energy demands of the elite and hungry multinational corporations—reimagining economics to support and nurture human dignity—we could stay within our planetary boundaries and lift the entire world out of poverty.
Degrowth proves putting people over profit would be good for the planet. Some of the most exciting policies include shortening the work week, providing universal basic services, and redistributing income. As we discuss, it’s a form of environmentalism that could join forces with the labour movement to dictate massive, sweeping global changes that could provide a better quality of life for every living being on earth.
This episode is all about hope and vision, and I’m thrilled to present it to you all today. Listen to the full interview here, catch it on on Apple or Spotify, or watch on Youtube. You’ll find the bonus episode on Youtube over the weekend, and paid subscribers have access to the interview transcript.
© Rachel Donald
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