A post-growth reality is becoming inevitable, and the purpose of degrowth scholarship is to raise awareness and prompt planning for a post-growth world.
Economic growth is fundamentally linked to increased resource consumption, and while partial decoupling is possible, absolute decoupling is unlikely.
The degrowth movement encompasses both reducing resource consumption and critiquing the ideology of economic growth, expanding the conversation on alternative ways of living.
Deep dives
The Challenges of Implementing the De-growth Movement
In this podcast episode, George O. Collins, an ecological economist, discusses the science and philosophy behind the de-growth movement. He highlights the challenges of implementing such a movement on a global scale. Collins emphasizes that while he doesn't believe mankind will plan for de-growth, a post-growth reality is becoming inevitable. He sees the larger purpose of de-growth scholarship as raising awareness and getting more people to consider planning for a post-growth world.
The Link between Energy, Growth, and Resource Consumption
Collins explains the relationship between energy, materials, technology, and economic growth. He states that economic growth requires more resources, and technology can only partially decouple this relationship. Collins highlights the fundamental link between economic growth and the need for more energy and resources. He further notes that while certain resources can be reduced through decoupling, absolute decoupling is unlikely, especially in the context of rapid economic growth.
Defining and Critiquing De-growth
Collins provides his interpretation of de-growth, stating that it encompasses an egalitarian social and political transformation aimed at reducing resource use. He argues that de-growth is not only about reducing resource consumption but also critiquing the ideology of economic growth. Collins acknowledges that the term de-growth is sometimes met with opposition, particularly from proponents of green growth or technology-focused solutions. However, he believes that the de-growth movement expands the conversation on alternative ways of living and prompts us to consider different pathways in response to climate change and resource constraints.
Importance of Radical Action for Climate Change
There is a need for radical action to address the ongoing climate crisis. While people understand that climate change is a real issue, there is a lack of awareness and acceptance that significant changes must be made. It is like a state of denial where people know that they have to wake up to the reality of the situation, but they are still clinging to the comfort of the status quo. It is crucial to recognize that the current climate changes are just the beginning, and without taking immediate and radical action, the situation will worsen.
The Potential of Taxing Resources
One potential solution to address environmental concerns and promote sustainability is to shift the tax burden from labor to resources. The current tax system heavily relies on taxing labor and income, but resource taxation offers a different approach. By implementing taxes on energy use and carbon emissions, and incentivizing activities with low carbon impact, it becomes possible to align economic incentives with sustainable practices. This approach can drive a shift towards activities that have high human value but low environmental impact. While the idea of resource taxation has been around for some time, its implementation has been slow, but it remains a promising solution in the quest for a more sustainable future.
On this episode, Nate is joined by ecological economist and degrowth scholar Giorgos Kallis. He and Nate discuss the science and philosophy behind the degrowth movement and some of the challenges behind implementing such an enormous task. As a system precariously based on growth becomes more unstable, it is important to turn to those who specialize in ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking. This doesn’t necessarily mean we, as a society, are going to advocate or plan for degrowth - but postgrowth societies are on the horizon, and in many places are already here. Perhaps, the larger purpose of degrowth scholarship (and conversations like these) is to act as Overton Windows - to help people imagine and actualize behaviors and networks that will help us adjust in a post-growth world.
About Giorgos Kallis:
Giorgos Kallis is an ecological economist and political ecologist working on environmental justice and limits to growth. He has a Bachelor's degree in chemistry and a Masters in environmental engineering from Imperial College, a PhD in environmental policy from the University of the Aegean, and a second Masters in economics from the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics. He has been an ICREA professor since 2010. Before coming to Barcelona, Giorgos was a Marie Curie International Fellow at the Energy and Resources group at the University of California-Berkeley. He has also written numerous books, including his latest, Limits: Why Malthus was Wrong and Why Environmentalists Should Care.
