Chapter 08 · Finance, data & evidenceSustainability Language
Degrowth
Definition
Degrowth is defined by its leading scholars (Kallis et al., 2018) as an equitable downscaling of throughput — the material and energy an economy metabolises — with a concomitant securing of wellbeing. It holds that if economic activity remains coupled to resource use, serious climate and environmental policy will slow the economy, and treats reduced GDP in wealthy countries as a likely outcome rather than a goal. The term functions as an umbrella for varied ideas and social struggles, and is contested for ambiguity.
References
scholarly definitions and critiques
origins (Limits to Growth, 1972) and aims
Overview
What it means
A direct challenge to green growth: sustainability through less throughput, fairly shared, rather than more efficient growth.
How it is used
Degrowth informs academic research, policy proposals (work-time reduction, universal basic services, caps on resource use) and critiques of decoupling claims; it contrasts with eco-efficiency and green-growth framings. **Note:** Definitions vary widely; some strands are anti-capitalist, others reformist. The entry should present the scholarly core without endorsing or dismissing the political programme.
Why it matters
Degrowth is the principal intellectual counterweight to green growth in sustainability economics, shaping debates on planetary boundaries and wellbeing.