As the climate crisis accelerates, one critical issue remains unaddressed: economic growth has long been tied to increasing carbon emissions and resource depletion. This raises an important question: can we truly decarbonize our economy while pursuing endless economic growth?
For some experts, the answer is a resounding no.
Instead, they advocate a concept known as degrowth. By reducing consumption and rethinking the way we define progress, proponents argue that we can continue to improve our quality of life – while also living within the planet’s ecological limits.
But what exactly is degrowth, and how would it reshape the global economy?
In this GLF Live, we will explore whether degrowth is a viable economic alternative and discover some success stories from around the world.
Join us on 25 September at 11:00 UTC as we speak with Alex Baumann, a degrowth academic at Western Sydney University, and more guest speakers to be announced.
Dr. Alex Baumann is a degrowth academic at Western Sydney University, focusing on how land privatization sits at the economic foundation of our collective reliance on economic growth. Alex’’s research demonstrates that, since the advent of land privatization under capitalism, most people have had few options outside the market economy to secure housing and meet other basic needs. To break this cycle of unsustainable growth dependence and advance degrowth, Alex advocates for revitalizing urban land commons for housing, food production, and other community-led initiatives. He proposes a policy pathway to achieve this by reframing public and social housing initiatives.
Watch Alex and his Sustainable Futures students deliver a short presentation on this analysis here.
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