Imagine economy
beyond growth

After decades of growth at all costs,
our economy needs a new compass

After decades of growth at all costs, our economy needs a new compass

Today, the shift towards an economy that serves both people and nature is closer than ever. Over 400 people and organisations have signed the open letter for a post-growth wellbeing economy, published during the landmark Beyond Growth 2023 conference.

A better economy is possible

Imagine an economy that respects fundamental needs and rights of all, providing a safe and just space in which everyone can thrive within planetary boundaries. Together, we can make this vision a reality. Let’s have a glimpse at what societies beyond growth could look like.

Healthy planet

Imagine a society with a much lower material footprint.

It would be more resilient to scarcities and resource wars. It would also be more likely to achieve climate targets.

We all need good sleep, but our planet has been deprived of sleep for decades. It needs time and care to recover, or it could collapse very soon.

EU keeps living as if there were 2.8 planets and using 25% of the world’s material resources.

Issues
Green mining myth
Resource depletion
Exceeding biocapacity

Examples of solutions
Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty
Resource justice 
Sufficiency

Fair society

Imagine more equal societies.

Such societies are likely to enjoy higher longevity, healthier communities and lower levels of violence, among a wealth of other benefits.

Having enough money to live well is great, but it is no good when few people have it all, as others suffer. What about getting rid of super-profits and wealth extremes?

Globally, 10% percent of people receive 52% of all income and are responsible for about half of the CO2 emissions.

Issues
Inequality
Environmental injustice

Examples of solutions
Carbon wealth tax
Rebooting climate finance
Minimum and maximum incomes

Wellbeing for all

Imagine meaningful and decent jobs for all.

Providing all people with a chance to do work that contributes to the wellbeing of our society and nature would reshape our economy around purpose instead of profit.

We all deserve access to meaningful jobs, future-fit education, nutritious food, proper healthcare, social protection and a good home.

However, the just transition as implemented today, mainly benefits specific regions and industries while leaving vulnerable social groups behind.

Issues
Green growth myth
Jobs treadmill

Examples of solutions
Universal basic services
Job guarantees
New metrics

Active democracy

Imagine having a real say about what happens in your community.

If more people were sufficiently informed about the impacts of the next major development, we could see a drastic shift in we could witness a drastic shift in what is built and how it is built.

Politicians and authorities often justify their decisions using baseless claims of representing “public opinion.”

Providing people with more ways and more power to engage with policy- and decision-making can help channel money into what matters locally.

Issues
Citizenwashing

Examples of solutions
Participatory budgeting
Environmental democracy
Community-led renewable energy

Why growth doesn’t work

It’s a recipe for crises

Rising prices, climate crisis, and growing inequality: these are just symptoms of the economic system putting profit above all.

It’s absurd

Four certain ways to drive growth: burn a tree, pollute a river, smoke daily, and get divorced.

It’s simplistic

In a growth-driven economy, people are seen as self-serving individuals whose only meaning is to consume more.

It’s unhappy

Above a certain level of income, more money no longer makes people happier.

It’s bad for nature

Complete decoupling of growth from environmental pressures has not happened so far and is unlikely in the near future.

It’s over

The times of high growth are over. The choice now is between unplanned stagnation or a democratic and equitable downscaling.

The turning point

The landmark Beyond Growth 2023 conference held at the European Parliament has brought together more than 1500 policymakers, experts, and civil society leaders to start moving the European Union beyond growth. We now need Europan policymakers to go from words to action.

A new economic mindset requires revamping our policies, metrics and more. We need post-growth European Institutions: permanent structures at the Commission, the Council, the Parliament, and within the Member States to assess post-growth strategies and pathways.

Getting on the post-growth track also means much better chances for reaching our shared sustainability pursuits, such as the Paris Agreement targets. A European Green Deal beyond growth could be brought to life through a new flagship programme shaped around a systemic change approach.

Signatories

Over 400 people and organisations have signed the letter, including representatives of EU institutions, think tanks, civil society and leading thinkers.

Check out the list of the signatories:

1. Timothée Parrique, Researcher, Lund University
2. Kate Raworth, Sr Associate; Professor of Practice, Oxford University, Amsterdam UAS
3. Vincent Liegey, Coordinator; Author and researcher, Cargonomia, Degrowth research and experimentation cooperative
4. Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, UCLouvain & SciencesPo
5. Milena Buchs, Researcher, University of Leeds
6. Ekaterina Chertkovskaya, Researcher, Lund University
7. Robert Costanza, Professor, University College London
8. Dominique Meda, Director, Irisso
9. Eloi Laurent, Researcher, Sciences Po, Stanford University
10. Giorgos Kallis, Professor, ICTA-UAB
11. Vedran Horvat, Head, Institute for Political Ecology
12. Alexandra Köves, Associate Professor; Vice-President of the European Society for Ecological Economics, Member of the Degrowth Support Group, Corvinus University of Budapest
13. Tariq Al-Olaimy, Managing Director, 3BL Associates
14. Silvia Montagnani, Student, Autonomous University of Barcelona
15. Emma Marzi, , Colectivo Grietas / ICTA-UAB
16. Leonie Saleth, PhD Student , University of Copenhagen
17. François Schneider , Founder, initiator of international degrowth conferences , Research & Degrowth
18. Marceau Challet, Master student, ICTA-UAB
19. Merlin Keitz, Student , Universitat Autònoma
20. Juan Pablo Arellano, Masters student UAB , Organizing for Degrowth Network Collective
21. Claudio Cattaneo, Master Director and contract professor, Autonomous University of Barcelona
22. nikola lange, student, Degrowth Barcelona
23. Martin Calisto Friant, Postdoctoral Researcher , Autonomos University of Barcelona
24. Emily Meret Bankert, Researcher, Buildings Performance Institute Europe
25. Emilie de Bassompierre, ICTA UAB / Research & Degrowth
26. David Hofmann, Research Scientist, SUNY Stony Brook and Massachusetts Institute of Technology
27. Milica Kočović De Santo, Interdisciplinary researcher – Research Associate, Lecturer and Activist, Institute of Economic Sciences, Belgrade Serbia; and Faculty of Dramatic Arts, Belgrade University, University of Arts, Serbia
28. Myriam Best , , UAB / ICTA
29. Daniele Vico, PhD candidate, University of Barcelona – Faculty of Economics and Business
30. Lina Lefstad, PhD Researcher, Lund University
31. Camilo Rodriguez, Researcher. , GSEID
32. Matthieu Lietaert, Adjunct Professor, IE Business School
33. Jean-Louis Aillon, , Interdisciplinary Research Institute on Sustainability, Torino, Italy; Movimento per la Decrescita Felice
34. Barry McMullin, Professor/Researcher, Dublin City University
35. Lucas Remue, Student, UGent
36. Max Keijzer, Junior Lecturer, University of Amsterdam
37. Giuseppe Massaro, Local coordinator, Movimento Decrescita Felice
38. Federico Demaria, Professor of ecological economics, co-author of “The case for degrowth”, University of Barcelona
39. Lisette von Maltzahn, Coordinator, Degrowth Vienna
40. Lorenzo Velotti, PhD Student , Scuola Normale Superiore
41. Meera Ghani, Climate Justice and Antiracism Consultant, n/a
42. Riccardo Mastini, Researcher, Autonomous University of Barcelona
43. Francesca Magnolo, Researcher, Gent University
44. Mladen Domazet, Research Associate, Insitute for Philosophy, Zagreb, Croatia
45. Mirjam Scholtens, Student, Utrecht University
46. Leila Siebke, , Utrecht University
47. Eva Fraňková, assistant professor, Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Czech Republic
48. Giacomo Luigi Delgado, PhD Student, ETH Zurich/Crowther Lab
49. Amelia Elvins, Citizen, Citizen
50. Martina Logi, Research, Academia
51. Mathilde Dumoulin, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
52. Gabriel Fabre, Researcher , Cprprovenance
53. Noémie Cadiou, EU citizen, Degrowth Vienna, ODN
54. Maiko Mathiesen, Director of International Relations, Research and Degrowth International
55. Kanika Prajapat, Student, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
56. Julia Steinberger, Professor of Ecological Economics, University of Lausanne
57. Sandrine Dixson-Decleve, Co-President, Author Earth for All: A Survival Guide for Humanity, The Club of Rome
58. Till Kellerhoff, Program Director , The Club of Rome
59. Claudia Fry, Research Associate, United Nations University
60. Christian Schulz, Professor, University of Luxembourg
61. Aljoša Slameršak, Consultant, Policy lab
62. Óscar Carpintero, Associate Professor, University of Valladolid (Spain)
63. Tommaso Brazzini, Researcher, University of Valladolid, Spain
64. Jesus Martin Gonzalez, Transdisciplinary researcher, Independent
65. Mario Díaz Muñoz, PhD and Researcher, Modul University Vienna
66. Margarita Mediavilla Pascual, , GEEDS University of Valladolid
67. Elena Emrick-Schmitz, Doctoral researcher, University of Luxembourg
68. Nathalie Roy, Sustainability, Societal Impact and Degrowth Professional, student of the degrowth master offered by Research & Degrowth International and UAB (Barcelona), independent (for now)
69. Jason Hickel, Professor at ICTA-UAB
70. Elena Emrick-Schmitz, Doctoral Researcher, University of Luxembourg
71. lukas eggler, private, private
72. Josephine Becker, Post-Growth Innovation Lab, University of Vigo
73. Mario Pansera, Director of Post-growth Innovation Lab, Universidade de Vigo
74. James Scott Vandeventer, , University of Huddersfield
75. Fernando Andrés Sánchez González, Legal representant, Dr. Fernando Andrés Sánchez González (The Wellbeing Driven Economy)
76. Nika Grabar, assistant professor, UL FA
77. Prof Tim Jackson, Director of the Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity (CUSP), University of Surrey
78. Elena Hofferberth, , University of Lausanne
79. Emma Marzi, , ICTA
80. Dan O’Neill, President of the European Society for Ecological Economics, Author of “Enough Is Enough: Building a Sustainable Economy in a World of Finite Resources”, and professor at the University of Leeds, University of Leeds
81. Aileen McLeod, Member of Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll) Global Council
82. Johana Waldhansová, Student, Masaryk university
83. Filka Sekulova, Postdoctoral researcher, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
84. Gareth Dale, Associate Head, Department of Social and Political Sciences, Brunel University
85. Anke Schaffartzik, Assistant Professor, Central European University
86. Mario Pansera, University of Vigo
87. Jakub Rok, University of Warsaw
88. Ivan Ðula, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Stuttgart
89. Simone D’Alessandro, Full Professor, University of Pisa
90. Doris Fuchs, , University of Münster
91. Elke Weik, Associate Professor, Dept of Business & Management, University of Southern Denmark
92. Max Koch, Professor of Social Policy and Sustainability, Lund University
93. Benjamin Tyl, Research engineer, PhD, APESA
94. DIEMER Arnaud , Scientific Coordinator of ERASME, Associate Professor at UCA, , UCA
95. Petter Næss, Professor emeritus, Norwegian University of Life Scienes
96. Martin Fritz, Researcher, Friedrich Schiller University Jena
97. Vasna Ramasar, Senior lecturer, Lund University
98. François Briens, Chercheur, independant
99. Nick Fitzpatrick, Researcher, NOVA Universidad Lisboa, Portugal
100. Adam Marshall, PhD Candidate, Manchester Metropolitan University
101. Predrag Momčilović, Director , Center for Green Politics
102. Elisabeth Skarðhamar Olsen, PhD Candidate, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, UK
103. Adrien Plomteux, PhD candidate, UCL
104. Alf Hornborg, Professor Emeritus, Lund University
105. Clément CHOISNE, member, OPCD
106. Joseba Azkarraga, Professor, University of the Basque Country
107. Christian Dorninger, Researcher, Institute of Social Ecology, BOKU Vienna
108. Swyngedouw Erik, Professor, The University of Manchester
109. Thomas Smith, , LMU, Munich
110. Hervé Corvellec, Professor, Lund University
111. Eduardo Missoni, Adjunct Professor in Global Health, SDA Bocconi, Università Milano-Bicocca, Università Statale di Milano
112. Manuela Zechner, Postdoc, FSU Jena University
113. Nina Isabella Moeller, Associate Professor, Coventry University & the University of Southern Denmark
114. Laura Rival, Professor of Anthropology, Anthropology of Nature, Society and Development , university of Oxford
115. Ana Sofia Poças Ribeiro, Post-doc researcher, Utrecht University
116. Michel PIMBERT, Professor and Director Institute for Sustainability, Equity and Resilience , Coventry University, UK
117. Dr. Tilo Meißner, , None
118. Marion Real, Design researcher, Fab Lab Barcelona
119. Eric Ponthieu, Professor, University of Bologna
120. Jennifer B. Hinton, Ecological economist and author of “Relationship-to-profit: A theory of business, markets, and profit for social ecological economics”, Lund University
121. Peter A. Victor, Professor Emeritus, York University
122. John Barry, Professor of Green Political Economy, Queen’s University Belfast
123. Onofrio Romano, Associate professor of Sociology, University of Rome 3
124. Dr Katharina Richter, Lecturer in Climate, Politics and Society, University of Bristol
125. Katerina Brandes, , –
126. Andri Werner Stahel, Teacher and Researcher, ELO – Institut of Associative Economics
127. Oriana Rainho Brás, Researcher, University of Lisbon
128. Jennifer Wells, Professor, California Institute of Integral Studies
129. Helmut Haberl, Professor of Socio-Ecological Metabolism, Institute of Social Ecology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna
130. Rosemary Venn, Researcher, CAWR
131. Ben Purvis, University of Sheffield
132. Orsolya Lazányi, Ecological Economics reseacher, ESSRG – Cargonomia
133. Benjamin Lowe, Researcher, Sheffield University Management School
134. Eeva Houtbeckers , Senior researcher , University of Turku
135. Christopher Boyce, As above, University of Stirling Honorary Research Fellow, BiGGAR Economics wellbeing consultant
136. Ivan Murray, Associate Professor, University of the Balearic Islands
137. Ahac Meden, researcher, ZRC SAZU
138. Pat Devine, , UCU Manchester University
139. Robert Winthrop, Research Professor, Dept. of Anthropology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
140. Ester Galende Sánchez, Researcher, Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3)
141. Toni Ruuska, Adjunct Professor of Sustainable economy, University of Helsinki
142. Jamie Morgan, Professor/Teacher Economics, Leeds Beckett University
143. Richard Hull, Programme Director, MA in Social Entrepreneurship, Goldsmiths, University of London
144. Grégoire Wallenborn, Professor, Université Libre de Bruxelles
145. Susan Paulson, Co-author The Case for Degrowth , University of Florida
146. Pasi Heikkurinen, University of Helsinki
147. Utkuhan Genc, Ph.D. Student , Purdue University
148. Shivani Kaul, University of Amsterdam
149. Alexander Paulsson, Researcher , Lund University
150. Simon De Muynck, Action-Researcher and Coordinator , ULB-LoUIsE (Laboratoire Urbanisme, Infrastructures, Ecologies et Paysage) and Urban Ecology Centre, Brussels.
151. Barbora Kleinhamplová, Co-founder, Institute of Anxiety
152. Erik Gomez-Baggethun, Professor of Environmental Governance and President elect of the International Society for Ecological Economics , Norwegian University of Life Sciences and International Society for Ecological Economics
153. Katherine Trebeck, Author of ‘The Economics of Arrival: Ideas for a Grown Up Economy’, University of Edinburgh
154. Eirini Erifyli Tzekou, Research associate, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
155. Tomislav Medak, Multimedijalni institut/MAMA
156. Giulio Galdi, Postdoctoral researcher, University of Trento
157. Barbara Smetschka, senior researcher, Institute of Social Ecology, BOKU Vienna
158. Richard Wilkinson , , None – retired
159. Kimberley Vandenhole, PhD student, Université libre de Bruxelles
160. Tom Bauler, Professor, co-director of the Interfaculty institute for Socio-Ecological Transformations (iiTSE), Université Libre de Bruxelles
161. Félix Garnier, PhD student, Bordeaux School of economics
162. Claire Roumet, personal capacity
163. Fabrice Flipo, Professor, Institut Mines-Télécom
164. Jan Otto Andersson, Emeritus professor of Economics , Abo Akademi Universitety
165. Kate Pickett OBE, Professor of Epidemiology, Associate Director of the Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity, Director of Health Equity North, University of York
166. Kinga Kovacs, Project Management and Overall Coordination, Energy Cities
167. Janne I. Hukkinen, Professor of environmental policy, University of Helsinki
168. Solène Sureau, Researcher, Université libre de Bruxelles
169. Julien Vastenaekels, Researcher, Université libre de Bruxelles
170. Christian Kerschner, Assistant Professor, Modul University
171. Lorenzo Velotti , , Scuola Normale Superiore
172. Jakub Kronenberg, Associate Professor, co-author of, among others, “Urban degrowth economics: making cities better places for living, working, and playing”, and “On the road to urban degrowth economics? Learning from the experience of C40 cities, doughnut cities, Transition Towns, and shrinking cities”, University of Lodz, Social-Ecological Systems Analysis Lab
173. Nathalie Wergles, Researcher and project manager LOCOMOTION, Universidad de Valladolid
174. Sara Pavesio, Economic researcher, The Research Group of Energy, Economy and Systems Dynamics (GEEDS)
175. Ilona M. Otto, Research Group Leader; Deputy Director, Wegener Center for Climate and Global Change, University of Graz, Austria
176. Lucía Muñoz Sueiro, PhD student , Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) and Research and Degrowth
177. Antoine Tiberj, Assistant Professor, University of Montpellier
178. Benedikt Schmid, University of Freiburg
179. Xavier Gabet, PhD Researcher, TU Wien
180. Laure TEULIERES, lecturer in history, Toulouse University
181. reynaud christian, chercheur, université de Montpellier
182. Paul Sutton, Professor, University of Denver
183. Florian Polsterer , System Change, not Climate Change!
184. Patrick Canadas, Université de Montpellier
185. Cécile Renouard, Philosopher, Teacher-Researcher, Co-founder and President of the Campus de la Transition, ESSEC Business School & Campus de la Transition
186. LE MAILLOUX Guillaume, PhDstudents, IMAG
187. Tommaso Luzzati, Professor of Economics, University of Pisa
188. Marie Pratzer, Doctoral researcher, Humboldt University Berlin
189. Lucia Pezo Alvarez, KUL
190. Amandine Crespy, Professor, Université libre de Bruxelles
191. Riccardo Mastini, Researcher, ICTA-UAB
192. Marta Conde, Researcher, Autonomous University of Barcelona, The University of Queensland, Research & Degrowth
193. Christophe COILLOT, Research Engineer and Teacher, CNRS
194. Albin Emanuel Brattberg, Student, Lund University
195. Aiora Zabala, Lecturer in Economics, The Open University
196. Lina Lefstad, , Post Growth Institute
197. Phedeas Stephanides, Lecturer in Sustainable Consumption , University of East Anglia
198. Sylvie Ferrari, Professor in Ecological Economics, University of Bordeaux
199. Patrizio Ponti, Adjunct Professor, University of Milan
200. Nicola Countouris, , UCL
201. Halliki Kreinin, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Münster
202. Tomáš Imrich Profant, Associate Professor, University of Economics in Bratislava
203. Martin Cerny, Research Associate, Masaryk University Brno
204. Arnošt Novák, , Faculty of Humanities Charles University in Prague
205. Fynn M. Schmidt, Student Research Assistant, University of Münster
206. Melen Le Corre, Intern, Cargonomia
207. Eléonore Fauré, Postdoctoral researcher (part of the academic project Beyond GDP Growth – Scenarios for Sustainable Building and Planning in Sweden between 2014 and 2018), Lund University
208. Milica Kočović De Santo, Research associate, activist, teacher, Institute of economic sciences Belgrade Serbia
209. Lilli Möller, , University of Muenster
210. Branko Ančić, senior research associate, Institute for Social Research in Zagreb
211. Fernando A. Frechoso-Escudero, Associate Professor, Universidad de Valladolid
212. Jean-Michel Hupé, Researcher in political ecology, CNRS, Toulouse
213. Clelia Sirami, Researcher, INRAE
214. Marc Deconchat, , INRAE
215. Vanessa LEA, Researcher, CNRS
216. Julian CARREY, Professor of University, INSA Toulouse
217. Julien Gros, Chargé de recherche, CNRS
218. Mercier Manuel, Researcher, Inserm, Aix-Marseilles University
219. Florian Debras, Researcher, CNRS
220. Guasch Cathy, Enseignante-chercheuse, Université de Montpellier
221. Camille Étienne, activiste pour la justice sociale et climatique, –
222. Steffen Lange, Senior Researcher, University Münster
223. Dr Beth Stratford, , University College London
224. Odin MARC, Researcher, CNRS
225. Karine Leblanc, Researcher, CNRS
226. Marianne Blanchard, Sociologue, Université Toulouse
227. František Jelínek , , Univerzity za Klima
228. Ragueneau Olivier, Research Director, CNRS-INEE, CNRS – Coordinator of the French LTSER platform network. Author of “Changement clim-éthique, agir global, penser local”, Librinova, 859 p.
229. Bob Wilson, Coordinator, CELT (Centre for Environmental Living & Training)
230. patrick bresnihan, Lecturer, Maynooth University
231. Inge Røpke, Professor Emerita, Aalborg University
232. Beatriz Macchione Saes, Professor, Unifesp, Brazil
233. Martin Frébourg, Postgraduate student, London School of Economics and Political Science
234. Wolfgang Cramer, Directeur de Recherche, CNRS-IMBE, Académie d’Agriculture de France
235. Elsa Jourdain, Senior researcher, co-author of the book “Zoonoses – The ties that bind humans to animals”, INRAE
236. Laura Schuft, Maîtresse de conférences, Université Côte d’Azur
237. Emil Weis Brix, Degrowth coordinator, NOAH – Friends of the Earth Denmark
238. Mohamed Amine Boussejra, Doctorant en Physique, Institut Physique des 2 Infinis – Université Lyon 1
239. Cédric Sueur, Professor, Université de Strasbourg
240. Malo Mofakhami, Researcher (Associate Professor), University Sorbonne Paris North (Centre d’économie Paris Nord)
241. Viviane Baladi, Mathematician, CNRS
242. Mathias Rollot, Associate Professor, Author of “Les territoires du vivant”, Associate Professor at ENSAG-UGA
243. Mathieu Chassé, Assistant Professor, Sorbonne Université
244. Florence Joly, Researcher Immunology, –
245. Ethemcan Turhan, Assistant Professor of Environmental Planning, University of Groningen
246. Robert Wade, Postdoctoral researcher, Eindhoven University of Technology
247. Joëlle Saey-Volckrick, Current coordinator of Degrowth.info, Degrowth.info
248. Favry Anouk, Chargée de projet qualité, Université de Montpellier
249. Jenny Ufer , Alumni UAB Degrowth Master
250. Jérémie Cavé, Sustainability sciences researcher, IRD
251. Guillaume Mandil, , Université Grenoble Alpes
252. Janina Urban, PhD candidate, University Witten/Herdecke
253. Peter Doran, Senior Lecturer, School of Law, Queens University Belfast
254. Iñigo Capellán-Pérez, Researcher, University of Valladolid
255. Remi Douvenot, Associate professor, French National School of Civil Aviation
256. Tommaso Luzzati, professor in Economics, Dipartimento di Economia e Management – Università di Pisa – ITALY
257. Adélaïde Charlier , Climate justice and Human Right Activist ,
258. Bente Hessellund Andersen, NOAH – Friends of the Earth Denmark, Research and campaigning
259. Kerstin Wessel, Communal Forum on Climate Protection, Coordinator
260. Emilie Letouzey, Osaka University – Atécopol , Postdoctoral researcher (anthropology)
261. Iva Dimitrova, Environmental Association Za Zemiata / FoE Bulgaria, Economic justice team member
262. Corentin Chauville, Student,
263. Alex Myerson, Utrecht University , Researcher
264. Stefanie Gerold, Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU)
265. Péter Párdi, ABUD Engineering, Sustainability Consultant
266. Nadia Johanisova, Masaryk University, assistant professor
267. Janis Brizga, Green Liberty, Chair
268. Fr. Filipe Martins sj, Jesuit European Social Centre, Director
269. Laura MOROSINI, Laudato Si Movement, Europe programs Director
270. Marco Morosini, ETH Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, em. Prof. and Associate
271. Julien Milanesi, CERTOP – Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, Lecturer
272. Cécile Barnaud, INRAE, Researcher
273. Philippe Borsa, Institut de recherche pour le développement, France, Directeur de recherche
274. Marianna Joy Coulentianos, Loughborough University, Lecturer
275. Jean-Louis MARTIN, CNRS, Emeritus Senior Scientist
276. gaucherel, INRAE, scientist
277. Jennifer Wilkins, Heliocene, Degrowth advocate, researcher New Zealand
278. Vincent Douzal, Draaf Paca Srise (formerly Inrae), manager
279. Nicolas Bierne, CNRS, Director of Research
280. alexandre gondran, ENAC, Toulouse, France, assitant professor
281. Lars Münter, Danish Committee for Health Education, Director, International Projects Unit
282. Luca Coscieme, Hot or Cool Institute
283. Alain Geerts, Canopea, Communication/Presse
284. Marc Leemans, ACV-CSC, President
285. Marie-Hélène Ska, ACV-CSC, General Secretary
286. Martine Antona, CIRAD- UMR Sens, Resarcler- Environmental economist
287. Pierre HENRY, AVOCATS.BE, Avocat
288. Observatoire de la Post-Croissance et de la Décroissance, OPCD,
289. Association Recherche et Expérimentation sur la Décroissance et la Transition, REDT,
290. Kristóf Vadovics, GreenDependent Institute, Executive Director
291. Edina Vadovics, GreenDependent Institute, co-founder and research director
292. Ecological Economics For All, Ecological Economics For All, Promoting post-growth societies within planetary boundaries
293. Jelena Puđak, Scientists for Climate Croatia

1. European Environmental Bureau, Patrick Ten Brinck, Secretary-General
2. Friends of the Earth Europe, Jagoda Munić, Director
3. European Youth Forum, Inge Brees, Director
4. Wellbeing Economy Alliance, -, –
5. France Nature Environnement, Arnaud Schwartz, President
6. Seas At Risk, Tobias Troll, Marine Policy Director
7. London Mining Network, Andy Whitmore, Co-Chair
8. Post Growth Institute; Southern Oregon University, Donnie Maclurcan, Executive Director; Affiliate Professor of Economics
9. Asociación Biodiversa , Esther Vallado, Founding manager
10. WEAll Youth, Nela Cadinanos,
11. Degrowth Collective , Raresh Vlad Bunea , Founder and Organizer
12. Steady State Manchester, Mark H Burton, Co-founder and collective member
13. Grands-Parents pour le Climat (Belgique francophone), Francis Panichelli, Vice-Président
14. Equidad de Género: Ciudadanía, Trabajo y Familia, Emilia Reyes , Program Director
15. Fridays For Future South Tyrol, Zeno Oberkofler,
16. Climate Vanguard, Jack Johnson, Co-Founder
17. Degrowth Movement (MDF), Italy, Marta Domini,
18. Les Amis de la Terre-Belgique, Raquel Gomez, Animatrice d’éducation permanente
19. ICLEI Europe, Matthew Bach, Just Transition Coordinator
20. Economy for the Common Good, Christian Felber, Founder
21. HERWIN, Greg Van Elsen, Policy advisor
22. Commons Network, Winne van Woerden, Lead Degrowth & Care Economy
23. Vrede vzw, Ludo De Brabander, spokesperson
24. LEF/FGE, Raoul Flies, Coördinator
25. Zero Waste Europe, Esra Tat, Executive Director
26. Focus Association for Sustainable Development, Živa Kavka Gobbo, char person
27. Policy Lab, Ajda Pistotnik, Director & Co-founder
28. CIDSE , Kim Claes, Energy & Extractivism Officer
29. Cargonomia & Central European University, Logan Strenchock, Co-Founder, Environmental Officer
30. Estonian Green Movement, Madis Vasser, Board member
31. Associazione per la decrescita, Mario Sassi, Secretary
32. Danish Committee for Health Education, Line Zinckernagel, International Project Manager
33. ZERO – Association for the Sustainability of the Earth System, Susana Fonseca, Vice-president
34. Teater K, Anders Nilsson, Director
35. PowerShift e.V., Michael Reckordt, Head of Raw Materials Division
36. Amis de la Terre France / Friends of the Earth France, Khaled Gaïji, President
37. The Club of Rome, Sandrine Dixson-Decleve, Co-President, Author Earth for All: A Survival Guide for Humanity
38. European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN), Sheila Habib, Policy & Advocacy Officer
39. SOLIDAR, SOLIDAR,
40. Feasta: the Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability, Caroline Whyte, Ecological economist
41. An Taisce – the National Trust for Ireland, Philip Kearney, Chair of the Board of Trustees
42. Ecologistas en Acción, Nuria Blázquez Sánchez, Head of International Affairs
43. REScoop.eu, Dirk Vansintjan, President
44. Youth for Climate Belgium, -,
45. Poems for Parliament, Barbara Williams, Chief Executive
46. Wellbeing Economy Lab, Mads Falkenfleth, Director
47. Canopea, Sylvie Meekers, Executive director
48. Institute for Political Ecology, Vedran Horvat , Head
49. Planet-N (www.planet-n.de), Clara Yiting Lauer, Project manager
50. Society for Nature Conservation and Environmental Protection “Eko krog,” , Jure Vetršek , President
51. CATAPA, Robin Roels, President
52. Make Mothers Matter, Valerie Bichelmeier, Vice-President
53. European Society for Ecological Economics, European Society for Ecological Economics,
54. Hot or Cool Institute gGmbH, Magnus Bengtsson, Policy Director
55. Zero waste Žalec, Andrej Fideršek, Coordinator
56. SDG Watch Europe, Jeffrey Moxom , Coordinator
57. Good4Trust.org, Uygar Özesmi, Founder & Instigator
58. Ekumenická akademie (Ecumenical Academy), Karolína Silná, Director
59. Electra Energy Cooperative, Chris Vrettos, Community Engagement Manager
60. WFTO- Home of Fair Trade Enterprises, Leida Rijnhout, Chief Executive
61. Platform for Social Housing, Barbora Bírová, Director
62. CONCORD Europe, (My organisation should appear as signatory),
63. tools for good , Andre Filipe Moreira Goncalves ,
64. Re-set: platform for socio-ecological transformation, Josef Patočka, researcher and campaigner
65. EUROSOLAR Catalunya, Josep (Pep) Puig i Boix, President
66. Parma Sostenibile, Francesca Riolo, Vice-president
67. Přátelé přírody /Friends of NAture, Miroslav PROKEŠ, Executive Vice-President
68. EUROSOLAR.CZ, Milan Smrž, chairman
69. Benzyme Ventures, Cris Silva, Executive Director
70. Ultra sieste , Philippe Serpollet , co-organisateur
71. Zsámboki Biokert (organic garden), Hungary, Matthew Hayes, farmer
72. Bystro, Nicolas Giroux, Co-funder
73. Lipensko pro život, z.s., Pavla Setničková , chairwoman
74. TEREZA Educational Centre, Petr Daniš, CEO
75. Living Economies Forum, David C. Korten, President
76. Fundación vanES Sabayes Spain, Jan van Eden, Presidente
77. POlish Zero Waste Association, Piotr BArczak, Co-founder, Board Member, Circular Economy Program Manager
78. European Network Against Racism (ENAR), Magda-Sarah Boulabiza, Policy and Advocacy Advisor
79. Association For Promotion Sustainable Development, Mange Ram Adhana, President
80. The Social Guarantee, Anna Coote, I direct the Social Guarantee, a UK based initiative, which develops and promotes the theory and practice of universal basic services
81. Sistema B, Pedro Tarak, Co Founder
82. Green European Foundation, Laurent Standaert, Political Director
83. Stowarzyszenie Ekologiczne EKO-UNIA, Poland, Radosław Gawlik, President
84. Bond Beter Leefmilieu (BBL), Danny Jacobs, chief executive officer
85. Post Carbon Institute, Asher Miller, Executive Director
86. Fundacja Kupuj Odpowiedzialnie (Buy Responsibly Foundation), Maria Huma, President of the Board
87. ClimaTalk, Emma Heiling, Founder & CEO
88. (we sign as an organisation), Limity jsme my, (the whole organisation)
89. Sciaena, Gonçalo Carvalho, Executive Coordinator
90. African Circular Economy Network (ACEN), Susanne Karcher, Co-Founder, Director and Executive Member of ACEN
91. Green Economy Coalition, Stuart Worsley, Country Programmes Director
92. ZERO – Association for the Sustainability of the Earth System, -, Vice-president
93. eco-union, Jeremie Fosse, Director
94. Nonprofit Ventures, Melanie Rieback, CEO/Co-founder of Nonprofit Ventures and ‘Post Growth Entrepreneurship’ @ University of Amsterdam, Economics and Business Faculty
95. Rede para o Decrescimento, -,
96. Alter Kapitae, Gabriel Malek, Président
97. Oikos – Think Tank for Socio-Ecological Change, Dirk Holemans, Director
98. ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, Europe, Giorgia Dalla Libera Marchiori, Campaign Coordinator on Sustainable Public Food Procurement
99. Pro Natura / Friends of the Earth Switzerland, Bertrand Sansonnens, International coordinator
100. NaZemi, Martin Čech, member
101. Hnutí DUHA- Friends of the Earth Czech Republic, Anna Kárníková, director
102. REVO Prosperidad Sostenible, Neus Casajuana Filella, Chairwoman
103. Wetlands International Europe, Yurena Lorenzo, European Programme Manager
104. Amigos de la Tierra (Friends of the Earth Spain), Adriana Espinosa, Natural Resoures Campaigner
105. Fundação Montescola, Joám Evans Pim, Director
106. Friends of the Earth Cyprus, Anastasia Korae, President of the Board
107. FoE Estonia, Maris Pedaja, Energy Transformation and Just Transition Campaigner
108. Konsent,z.s, Johanna Nejedlová, chairwoman
109. Garden of Eden Projects Ireland, Feidhlim Harty, Project coordinator
110. Nyt Europa, Julie Rosenkilde, Director
111. Arnika, Václav Orcígr, board member
112. Amigas da terra , Virginie Weichmann, Member
113. Surfrider Foundation Europe, Florent Marcoux, CEO
114. Friends of the Earth Ireland, Oisín Coghlan, CEO
115. Degrowth.info, Degrowth.info,
116. ECOLISE, Nina Klein, policy lead
117. Scientifiques en rébellion, Scientifiques en rébellion, Scientists
118. National Society of Conservationists – Friends of the Earth Hungary, Ákos Éger, Executive president
119. Zero Waste Latvija , Laura Treimane , NGO
120. Degrowth research and experimentation cooperative, Budapest, Cargonomia,
121. Jordens Vänner / Friends of the Earth Sweden, Charlotte Lundqvist (not signing name), Project manager
122. Population Matters, Alistair Currie, Head of Campaigns
123. An Claíomh Glas, Attracta Uí Bhroin, Vice-Chair
124. Degrowth in Action, Anna Sach,
125. European Policy Centre, Laura Rayner, Senior Policy Analyst
126. Ecological Economics For All, US Society for Ecological Economics, International Society for Ecological Economics, Rigo Melgar , PhD Candidate in Ecological Economics, organizer, educator for the masses
127. Tactic, Romain PETON, Funder
128. European Energy Research Alliance, Ganna Gladkykh, Clean Energy Transition Expert
129. greenskills, Peter Gringinger, Lecturer
130. The Institute of Economics Zagreb, Nenad Starc, emeritus
131. Sustainable Population Australia, Simon Dison Cole, Supporter, advocate and a living example.
132. Energy Cities, Selma Guyon, EU Policy assistant
133. New Worlds Group, Maria Lorente Perez, Leadership Development & OD Consultant / Facilitator
134. Landsrådet för Sveriges Ungdomsorganisationer, Stephanie Lobos, Policy developer and project coordinator
135. Local Futures, Alex Jensen, Researcher and Project Coordinator
136. Youth and Environment Europe, Paul Ségalard, Energy project Lead
137. Waag Futurelab, Sander van der Waal , Research Director
138. The Emergence Network, Erin Dunford, Interim General Coordinator
139. SOMO, Alejandro Gonzalez, Researcher
140. Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF, Katrin Geyer, Environment Focal Point
141. Začni učit!, z.s. , Dagmar Ašková, Designer
142. Vlaamse Jeugdraad, Daan Vandenberghe, UN Youth Delegate Sustainable Development
143. Aisthanoumai, SION Valerie, Teacher
144. Recycling Netwerk Benelux, Janine Röling, Researcher and policy officer
145. Umweltdachverband, Sophia Kratz, Project Director I Circular Economy
146. Friends of the Earth Malta, Suzanne Maas, Climate Campaign Coordinator
147. GLOBAL 2000 – Friends of the Earth Austria, Anna Leitner, Campaigner
148. milieudefensie – FoE Netherlands, isabelle geuskens, Just Energy Transition Senior Program Officer
149. Friends of Earth Spain, Vanessa Álvarez,

Authors

The open letter was written by academics and civil society leaders building on decades of research, public dialogue and advocacy. 

Timothée Parrique

“For a long time, the idea of green growth has sustained a don’t worry, everything is going to be okay narrative, becoming a form of macroeconomic greenwashing.”

Kate Raworth

“Today we have economies that need to grow, whether or not they make us thrive. What we need are economies that make us thrive, whether or not they grow.”

Vincent Liegey

“While we work and consume less, we can still increase our happiness through devoting more time to culture, community and non-monetary pursuits.”

Nick Meynen

“Our economy pushes people and the planet beyond the boundaries they can cope with. The cost of inaction will be far greater than any benefits growth has ever delivered.”

Continue the journey

Decades of research have brought post-growth thinking into the mainstream. And yet, it is not only the popularity of the idea that makes it worth considering. There is a lot of research to back up the ambition and we need collective action to bring about change. The science, policies and tools for a post-growth economy are all at your fingertips.

Fitzpatrick, Nick, Timothée Parrique, and Inês Cosme. 2022. “Exploring degrowth policy proposals: A systematic mapping with thematic synthesis.” Journal of Cleaner Production 365: 132764.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.132764

Fanning, Andrew L., Daniel W. O’Neill, Jason Hickel, and Nicolas Roux. 2022. “The social shortfall and ecological overshoot of nations.” Nature Sustainability 5: 26-36.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-021-00799-z

Kallis, Giorgos, Vasilikis Kostakis, Steffen Lange, Barbara Muraca, Susan Paulson, and Matthias Schmelzer. 2018. ”Research On Degrowth.” Annual Review of Environment and Resources 43: 291-316.
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-102017-025941

Hickel, Jason, and Giorgos Kallis. 2019. “Is Green Growth Possible?” New Political Economy 25: 469-486.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13563467.2019.1598964

Hirvilammi, Tuuli, and Max Koch. 2020. “Sustainable Welfare beyond Growth.” Sustainability 12(5): 1824.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su12051824

Hickel, Jason. 2020. “What does degrowth mean? A few points of clarification.” Globalizations 18(7): 1105-1111.
https://doi.org/10.1080/14747731.2020.1812222

McGreevy, Steven R., Christoph D. D. Rupprecht, Daniel Niles, et al. 2022. “Sustainable agrifood systems for a post-growth world.” Nature Sustainability 5: 1011-1017.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-022-00933-5

Demaria Federico, François Schneider, Filka Sekulova, and Joan Martinez-Alier. 2013. “What is Degrowth? From an Activist Slogan to a Social Movement.” Environmental Values 22(2): 191-215.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/23460978

Keyßer, Lorenz T., and Manfred Lenzen. 2021. “1.5 °C degrowth scenarios suggest the need for new mitigation pathways.” Nature Communications 12: 2676.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22884-9
 

Mastini, Riccardo, Giorgos Kallis, Jason Hickel. 2021. “A Green New Deal without growth?” Ecological Economics 179: 106832.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2020.106832

Vogel, Jefim, Julia K. Steinberger, Daniel W. O’Neill, William F. Lamb, Jaya Krishnakumar. 2021. “Socio-economic conditions for satisfying human needs at low energy use: An international analysis of social provisioning.” Global Environmental Change 69: 102287.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2021.102287

Creutzig, Felix, Leila Niamir, Xuemei Bai, et al. 2022. “Demand-side solutions to climate change mitigation consistent with high levels of well-being.” Nature Climate Change 12: 36-46.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-021-01219-y

Jackson, Tim, and Peter A. Victor. 2019. “Unraveling the claims for (and against) green growth.” Science 366(6468): 950-951.
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aay0749

Jackson, Tim. 2019. “The Post-growth Challenge: Secular Stagnation, Inequality and the Limits to Growth.” Ecological Economics 156: 236-246.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2018.10.010

Walker, Christine Corlet, Angela Druckman, Tim Jackson. 2021. “Welfare systems without economic growth: A review of the challenges and next steps for the field.” Ecological Economics 186: 107066.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2021.107066

Jackson, Tim, Peter A. Victor. 2021. “Confronting inequality in the “new normal”: Hyper-capitalism, proto-socialism, and post-pandemic recovery.” Sustainable Development 29(3): 504-516.
https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2196