EU Staff for Climate

‘Woodstock of Degrowth’: take-aways and resources from EP’s Beyond Growth Conference

by Thomas Arnold and Alexandre Vacher

Thomas Arnold is an Active Senior for Green Transition. Before his retirement, he was an Advisor for Sustainable Development Goals in DG Research and Innovation at the European Commission. Active Seniors are retired officials no longer in charge of specific files and they can contribute by sharing their expertise and experience. They do not represent the European Commission.

Alexandre Vacher is a Project Adviser in The European Research Executive Agency (REA) working more specifically in the circular economy, water and environment sectors. Currently on parental leave in Tanzania, he is witnessing the impacts of the growth paradigm on relations between the Global South and the Global North.

The ground-breaking Beyond Growth 2023 Conference at the European Parliament in May 2023, lasting for three full days, has been labelled by some participants as the ‘Woodstock of Degrowth’. The event was hosted by members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from several political groups ranging from the European People’s Party Group (EPP Group) to The Left (GUE/NGL).

Philippe Lamberts brilliantly assumed the role of the master of ceremonies and dozens of speakers from science, economics, youth, politics, civil society and other areas, from Europe and elsewhere, shared their insights and wisdom, their concerns and beliefs.

In her opening speech, President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen set the tone for the journey towards new horizons, stating that ‘a growth model centered on fossil fuels is simply obsolete’.

Our key take-aways

  • Planetary boundaries and tipping points

Johan Rockström and other scientists have made it very clear that the focus cannot be only on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and that the interrelated earth systems capacity of the planet needs to be considered. Seven out of eight quantified planetary boundaries are being transgressed and cascading tipping points are approaching.

While according to official narratives, Europe has been comparatively successful in reducing GHG emissions, EU countries score among the worst regarding transgression of multiple planetary boundaries (Dan O’Neill).

Therefore, the policy challenge for the EU is not developing policies that will allow the EU to respect and to stay within planetary boundaries. The policy challenge is to return to a safe operating space within planetary boundaries.

  • Green growth: a realistic pathway or a fairy tale?

While the feasibility of green growth remains a scientific controversy, many speakers at the conference made a strong and convincing case for post-growth and degrowth, or degrowth (at least in the North) as a step to a steady state economy (e.g. Timothée Parrique). The scale and rapidity of the necessary decoupling for green growth to work was considered by most as simply unrealistic and unachievable.

  • From growth to wellbeing

The priority is ‘thriving’ and not growing (Kate Raworth). Over and above indicators, there is a need to change the story from growth to wellbeing and health and towards a care economy (Tim Jackson), to prioritise economic security rather than economic growth (Sandrine Dixson-Declève).

  • Sufficiency and just transition

Sufficiency (Yamina Saheb) and escape from consumerism were highlighted as part of the new vision for a good life. Many speakers highlighted the importance of a just transition, redistribution, reduction of inequalities and universal basic services. However, sufficiency is not yet central with regard to the energy transition. ‘We don’t have an energy transition but an energy addition’ (Brototi Roy).

  • European Semester needs a reboot towards well-being

On governance, several speakers spoke about reforming the European Semester, to make it a central instrument to enable a stability and wellbeing pact.

  • A social transition is a starting point for the green transition

There is a need for large-scale investments to retrain workers who currently work in fossil fuel industries. Speakers clearly highlighted that workers should not be put in a position to choose between their job and the climate. Addressing social justice is a starting point for the green transition, not something to deal with along the way, as explained in the Earth4All analysis. Therefore, reducing inequalities and poverty is essential: this can be done by using maximum income ratios, amending fiscal rules, strengthening workers negotiating power and increasing minimum wages for example.

Degrowth policies would not be understood and accepted if unfair distribution, inequalities and the intrinsically inequitable nature of our system were to persist, such as giving priority to dividends over people’s wages.

  • Narratives are needed in addition to indicators

The importance of narratives was highlighted again and again, to imagine a new world and different futures. Some narratives have a strong decolonisation momentum, in particular decolonisation of mindsets – more on this below.

  • Minority world vs. majority world and decolonisation

The concepts of the minority world and the majority world were used by a variety of speakers, not only those in the dedicated Global South panel. The minority world stands for the smaller and wealthy part of humanity, in what has been called the ‘developed world’, the majority world stands for the biggest part of humanity around the globe. There are pockets of the minority world in the Global South, and pockets of the majority world in the Global North.

Decolonisation is necessary to avoid a situation where the perspectives, worldviews and research agendas of the minority world are imposed on the majority world. Decolonisation is necessary to avoid the green transition of the minority world coming at the expense of the majority world, through ‘neocolonial plunder’ (Jason Hickel). Minerals covered by theEuropean critical raw materials act might be critical also for countries where they are being mined right now (Brototi Roy).

  • Power structures and democratisation

The elephant in the room was how to dismantle toxic power structures that work against the transformation, including fossil and other corporate interests. Several speakers highlighted the central importance of power, but more work is needed on concrete solutions, including giving back power to workers (Esther Lynch). Degrowth without a just transition in the minority world may be difficult to sell democratically. Transforming power structures, democratically and peacefully, will require much more research and practice.

  • ‘Youth washing’

Giving real power to youth and defending the interests of future generations are crucial. In its petition, Generation Climate Europe ask the EU to end ‘youth washing’ and ensure meaningful youth participation in formal policy processes.

  • ‘Societal therapy’

Societal therapy was an interesting concept brought forward by Robert Costanza to highlight the importance of societal transformation in all aspects of life. This is not limited to individuals, pertaining instead to systemic structures. Other speakers, including Aurélien Barrau, used the comparison to addiction for the obsession to growth.

  • ‘Concept capture’

Gaël Giraud highlighted the risk of concept capture by corporate interests who will utilise some of the new concepts of a wellbeing economy and of beyond growth for their own purposes.

  • EU history includes alternative responses to the limits to growth

Dominique Meda reminded the audience of the Agricultural Commissioner Sicco Mansholt, later Commission president himself. His letter to the Commission president in 1972 discussed the report The Limits to Growth, published that year, and proposed a policy bifurcation model. Mansholt’s letter is worth reading again today (La Lettre Mansholt by Dominique Méda | Open Library).

Our final thoughts

It is hard to summarise the great diversity of opinions heard in the conference, but we must commend the organisers for ensuring that different perspectives were expressed.

For our part, we think that moving beyond the Green Deal, Europe will have to find ways to move beyond growth. Unfortunately, as highlighted by many scholars, green growth is not sufficient anymore. It is no longer enough to decrease the material intensity of growth (the so called ‘relative decoupling’), and we are also past the time when a simple decrease of carbon emissions could do the job (the so-called ‘absolute decoupling’).

To limit the catastrophic consequences of our economic activities, the necessary speed of emission reduction is such that further exploring degrowth or post-growth approaches offers – to us and to most of the conference participants – the best available consensus. This implies that a great deal of mind-set changes and power shifts are needed.

Our prosperity dreams must be decolonised, and wellbeing should no longer be conceived as expanding our possessions, at least in the Global North.

There are also radical governance and geo-political dimensions to the degrowth movement. Ending the needless and counter-productive ‘race to the top’ spirit, this toxic cycle of power and money accumulation that drives inequalities and boosts shareholders’ power rather than that of workers.

Without a structured and fair redistribution, sufficiency efforts of the many will be discouraged by the increasingly lavish lifestyle of the few who continue to be praised as aspirational examples. Workable sustainable governance and economic pathways are emerging for those who are willing to pay attention, and as EU Staff for Climate members we will continue advocating for them.

In conclusion, the conference has been a key milestone to advance on what is probably the most central and yet the most difficult issue in terms of addressing the planetary emergency. The three-day gathering gave insights, inspiration and hope to many, while at the same time demonstrating that the potential for resistance, pushback and counter-offensive remains stark.

While this journey to new lands may be one of humanity’s greatest challenges, ‘all evidence suggests this will not be a linear journey; it requires a leap in our understanding of how justice, economics, technology and global cooperation can be furthered in the service of a safe and just future’ (Safe and just Earth system boundaries | Nature).

Selection of sources

The full programme of the event, details of speakers, all recordings are on the EP Beyond Growth conference site.

 The EPRS has issued a briefing and a more detailed study linked to the conference:

 Our President’s speech at the conference is here:

Her key message, largely quoted is: ‘a growth model centred on fossil fuels is simply obsolete’. And her concluding remarks: ‘Today, we are leaving the fossil-fuel growth model behind us. The new lands are still blurred, but they are visible, we can reach them.’

Here is a pick of some of the many remarkable speeches:

A collection of key speeches is also available on the following sites

Horizon Magazine has published an interview with Giorgos Kallis, one of the coordinators of the ERC Post-Growth Deal (REAL) project:

The EEB and Oikos have published a special issue on Imagining Europe Beyond Growth with a variety of authors:

ZOE has issued a special on Beyond Growth presenting some of their key work and other relevant resources:

A pick of press reactions on Beyond Growth, well beyond the green corner:

At least two petitions have been issued in connection with the conference, one led by academics including Kate Raworth and Timothée Parrique, one led by youth activists including Generation Climate Europe. The scientist-led open letter includes a comprehensive list of research work on degrowth: 

A critical perspective on the conference pointing to some gaps it has left is offered by Sabaheta Ramčilović-Suominen:

Some more related references in the aftermath of the conference

Background on Costanza’s idea of societal therapy

Fundamental update and further development of planetary boundaries framework by Rockström et al.

Open Letter published all over Europe on day 1 of Beyond Growth Conference (15 May), A post-growth Europe critical to survive and thrive – Peer reviewed sources that substantiate the demands of the open letter:

  1. The 2023 Strategic Foresight report recognises the need for a new economic model, focused on the wellbeing of people and nature, decoupling economic growth from resource use and shifting to more sustainable production and consumption, https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_3623
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. Hickel, Jason, and Giorgos Kallis. 2019. “Is Green Growth Possible?” New Political Economy 25: 469-486.https://doi.org/10.1080/13563467.2019.1598964
  6. Hirvilammi, Tuuli, and Max Koch. 2020. “Sustainable Welfare beyond Growth.” Sustainability 12(5): 1824.https://doi.org/10.3390/su12051824
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. 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
  17. 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

The EU Staff for Climate blog is a space for members of the group to explore themes related to the present and the future of our planet. The authors contribute to the blog in their private and individual capacity and all views expressed are their own.

EU Staff for Climate