On this episode, we meet with social scientist and researcher at the School of Economics and Management of Lund University, Timothée Parrique. What is degrowth, and how will it help define our future?  Parrique explains how the path to societal degrowth might unfold and the social and physical obstacles we may encounter on our way there. About Timothée Parrique: Timothée Parrique is a social scientist, originally from Versailles, France. He is currently a researcher at the School of Economics and Management of Lund University (Sweden). He holds a PhD in economics from the Centre d’Études et de Recherches sur le Développement (University of Clermont Auvergne, France) and the Stockholm Resilience Centre (Stockholm University, Sweden). Titled “The political economy of degrowth” (2019), his dissertation explores the economic implications of degrowth. Tim is the author of Ralentir ou périr. L’économie de la décroissance (September 2022, Seuil), a book adaptation in French of his PhD dissertation. For Show Notes and Transcript visit: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/32-timothee-parrique

Timothée Parrique, économiste et auteur, parle de l'économie postcroissance et de la nécessité d'une économie respectant les limites biologiques. Ils discutent de l'économie écologique, des inégalités économiques, de la lutte contre la pauvreté et de la crise climatique. Des questions sur le sous-investissement du système Vélib et l'idée de rendre le Vélib gratuit sont également abordées.

Today's guest is Timothée Parrique, a researcher in ecological economics at Lund University in Sweden. Degrowth is one school of thought in the path towards decarbonization, but the topic is rife with controversy. Proponents argue against growing economies and instead shrinking production and consumption while favoring sustainability, social justice, democracy, and well-being. In other words, instead of measuring GDP as a monetary or market value, those who advocate for degrowth measure health and happiness. Skeptics aren’t convinced. Can degrowth be a powerful lever for change and is it realistic given the way some societies are structured today?  Jason posed this question on Twitter and Timothée kindly offered to share his expertise. Titled “The political economy of degrowth” (2019), Timothée’s PhD dissertation explores the economic implications of degrowth. And while we don’t get to cover everything in this episode, the conversation is another example of the importance of spending time to discuss debated concepts and tease out some of the nuances that can’t be found in 280 characters on Twitter. In today’s episode, we cover: [8:23] Timothée's background in ecological economics or the interaction between economy and nature [14:29] Having a holistic perspective of climate change [17:51] The 1.5 degree threshold [27:07] How production and consumption contribute to climate change [28:52] The carbon budget [33:32] Government integrating climate mitigation into politics and environmental awareness among youth [35:27] Finland's climate neutrality announcement [40:37] The concept of degrowth and its origin[43:17] A culture of low-carbon mobility seen in European countries [46:04] Positive dividends of reducing our ecological footprint [51:24] The Rebound Effect [55:21] Capitalism and the impact of removing drivers for growth [1:02:47] Technological innovation and the "avoid, shift, and improve" approach Episode recorded on August 4, 2022.Get connected: Jason’s TwitterTimothée’s TwitterMCJ Podcast TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Timothée Parrique, an economist from Lund University and an expert in degrowth economics, dives into the concept of degrowth—challenging the idea of endless growth in a finite world. He discusses how scaling back consumption in wealthier nations can improve global equity and environmental health. Parrique argues that by prioritizing well-being over GDP, communities can thrive ecologically and socially. He envisions a future where sustainability and happiness coexist, transforming urban planning and redefining prosperity beyond traditional economic metrics.

Dans ce podcast, Timothée Parrique, économiste à l'université de Lund et auteur de "Ralentir ou périr", plaide pour une décroissance planifiée et équitable. Il aborde la critique du PIB comme indicateur de prospérité, soulignant ses limites face à la durabilité écologique. Il explore les effets des énergies fossiles sur le climat et la nécessité d'une économie post-croissance, où justice sociale et bien-être humain prédominent. Parrique invite à repenser les modèles économiques pour préserver notre environnement.