Article
Ecology
Ted Trainer
Summary: This article examines the technical feasibility of the Green New Deal proposals, particularly in regards to two major claims. It argues against the assumptions that renewable energy can sustain societies at a low cost, and that the economy can be decoupled from resource consumption and environmental impact. The conclusion suggests that achieving the goals of the Green New Deal would require significant degrowth and the implementation of radically different socio-economic and political systems.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2022)
Article
Ethics
Gareth Dale
Summary: This paper analyzes Karl Polanyi's social and political thought in relation to environmentalism and 'green' politics, discussing whether he foresaw the degrowth movement and his understanding of the New Deal. With the potential return of global economic slump, mass unemployment, and ecological crisis, comparisons are drawn to Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal to draw lessons for possible Green New Deals.
ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Georg Meran
Summary: Many growth and resource economists seem to agree that perpetual growth can be achieved through green growth, which emphasizes resource efficiency and value creation. However, this paper argues that the accumulation of physical and knowledge capital to substitute natural resources cannot guarantee green growth. The analysis shows that as population grows, per capita income decreases and the economy's capital base decays, and the ecological displacement effect further exacerbates this result. Moreover, the study highlights the limitations of low elasticities of substitution in production functions for achieving sustainable growth.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2023)
Editorial Material
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Mariana Mazzucato
Summary: A mission-oriented approach is the only way to make progress towards sustainable development.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Andrew Flachs
Summary: Sustainable development in agri-food systems relies on increasing agricultural production amid changing climates, political organization, and markets. Research with organic cotton and coffee farmers in India, and a case study with heritage farmers in Bosnia, reveals that sustainability must account for factors beyond resource-efficiency or yields. Efforts to ensure local autonomy and continued management of agricultural landscapes by small-scale farmers are pivotal for long-term sustainability.
SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Maria Kaika, Angelos Varvarousis, Federico Demaria, Hug March
Summary: We propose coupling degrowth with urban studies and planning agendas, identifying it as both academically significant and politically urgent. Our objectives are to integrate degrowth concepts into everyday spatial practices, broaden its applicability beyond localized experiments, and explore its variations in the Global North and South. We outline a programmatic approach for urban degrowth with five steps, focusing on historical context, institutional engagement, scaling up grassroots initiatives, involving experts, and addressing urban social inequalities.
Article
Economics
Jenica M. Kramer
Summary: The institution of private property contributes to ecological disaster, with profit-seeking behaviors in the global neoliberal capitalist system manifesting as parasitic exploitation of society and nature, ultimately leading to degradation of the environment and society.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ISSUES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Ruben Vezzoni
Summary: The REPowerEU plan aims to redefine the EU energy transition agenda, but it may paradoxically lead to raw materials dependency and investments in fossil fuel infrastructures. The increased use of solar energy will require a massive amount of raw materials, strengthening the dependency on Chinese refining and manufacturing. The findings of this paper suggest that a truly transformative energy policy should question the material foundations and prioritize sufficiency and decentralized provisioning.
ENERGY RESEARCH & SOCIAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Annette Fliedner, Heinz Ruedel, Bernd Goeckener, Henrik Krehenwinkel, Martin Paulus, Jan Koschorreck
Summary: The study emphasizes the potential of Environmental Specimen Banks (ESBs) in implementing the Zero Pollution Ambition and Biodiversity Strategy of the European Green Deal. The findings of recent monitoring studies reveal the widespread presence of various pollutants in the European environment and highlight the importance of monitoring temporal changes in environmental pollution and ecological condition. The study also demonstrates the value of ESBs in supporting regulators in prioritizing their actions towards the objectives of the Green Deal.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Geography
Alexander Dunlap, Louis Laratte
Summary: This article critically examines the GND platform by exploring the reality of energy development under the EGD. It argues that the EGD is an exercise in necropolitics, intensifying market relationships, extraction, and infrastructural colonization. The article reviews and discusses recent environmental justice and degrowth positions, employing desk-based research and ethnographic fieldwork. It concludes that the EGD is an exercise in necropolitics and discusses ways to expand degrowth and real energy transition.
POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Catherine Lehmann, Olivier Delbard, Steffen Lange
Summary: This article investigates the attitudes of environmental protection specialists towards concepts related to economic growth and environmental sustainability. The results show that these specialists prefer growth-critical concepts such as a-growth, post-growth, and degrowth over green growth, with a-growth/post-growth being the most favored concept. The preferences are stable across different measures and specialists with more knowledge on the concepts are more likely to prefer growth-critical concepts.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Felix Carl Schultz, Ingo Pies
Summary: This forum article contributes to the debate on the compatibility of circular economy (CE) and economic growth by using practical syllogism to reconcile opposing perspectives. It highlights four critical elements for a CE transition and emphasizes the importance of developing management competencies. This article may foster new ways of thinking in academia and practice.
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Klaas Lenaerts, Simone Tagliapietra, Guntram B. Wolff
Summary: World needs to either decouple global GHG emissions from GDP at an unprecedented pace or face deep cuts to GDP in order to achieve steep emission reductions. The optimistic 'green growth' literature believes in suitable policies and technology while the 'degrowth' proponents argue for downsizing the global economy and emphasize systemic change and redistribution. This study uses the Kaya identity to assess the gap between historic performance and green growth requirements, and reviews literature on both degrowth and green growth to highlight their arguments and proposals. While degrowth authors are accurate in pointing out the gap between current efforts and necessities in climate mitigation, their radical proposals also come with uncertainties and risks. It is unlikely that alternative welfare conceptions can gain support from enough countries to pursue a degrowth agenda. Governments should instead focus on mobilizing investments, pricing carbon emissions, and promoting innovation and behavioral change.
Article
Ecology
Lukas Hardt, John Barrett, Peter G. Taylor, Timothy J. Foxon
Summary: This article discusses the importance of shifting towards a post-growth economy to avoid environmental catastrophe, and emphasizes the need for significant structural changes in the economy with different goals and strategies for various economic sectors. The authors present a novel analysis framework that classifies economic sectors based on similar structural change goals along three dimensions, providing empirical evidence and deriving structural change goals for different sector groups.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2021)
Editorial Material
Business
Raymond Benton
Summary: Four recent books by noted economists highlight major issues with the economic system and the macromarketing system. The books aim to reveal the true functioning of the economy and suggest necessary changes. The commentary emphasizes the need to address the malfunctioning political system in order to fix the economy.
JOURNAL OF MACROMARKETING
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Jason Hickel
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2020)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jason Hickel, Paul Brockway, Giorgos Kallis, Lorenz Keysser, Manfred Lenzen, Aljosa Slamersak, Julia Steinberger, Diana Urge-Vorsatz
Summary: Post-growth approaches may offer an easier path to achieving rapid mitigation and improving social outcomes compared to traditional growth-based scenarios. Climate modellers should explore these alternatives to traditional economic growth assumptions.
Editorial Material
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Sophie Harman, Parsa Erfani, Tinashe Goronga, Jason Hickel, Michelle Morse, Eugene T. Richardson
Editorial Material
Geography
Jason Hickel
POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Development Studies
Jason Hickel, Stephane Hallegatte
DEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW
(2022)
Article
Economics
Jason Hickel, Dylan Sullivan, Huzaifa Zoomkawala
Summary: This paper quantifies the drain from the global South through unequal exchange since 1960, finding that the intensity of exploitation and the scale of unequal exchange increased significantly during the structural adjustment period of the 1980s and 1990s. Rich countries continue to rely on imperial forms of appropriation to sustain their high levels of income and consumption.
NEW POLITICAL ECONOMY
(2021)
Article
International Relations
Jason Hickel
Summary: Degrowth is a planned reduction of energy and resource use to achieve a balance between the economy and the living world, with the goal of reducing inequality and improving human well-being. It is distinct from a recession and mainly targets high-income nations, with implications for the global South.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jason Hickel
LANCET PLANETARY HEALTH
(2020)
Article
Economics
Jason Hickel, Giorgos Kallis
NEW POLITICAL ECONOMY
(2020)
Article
Social Issues
Jason Hickel
HUMANITY-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HUMAN RIGHTS HUMANITARIANISM AND DEVELOPMENT
(2019)
Article
Development Studies
Jason Hickel
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
(2019)
Article
Development Studies
Jason Hickel
THIRD WORLD QUARTERLY
(2019)
Article
Development Studies
Jason Hickel
THIRD WORLD QUARTERLY
(2017)
Article
Development Studies
Jason Hickel
THIRD WORLD QUARTERLY
(2016)
Article
Ecology
Simon Rabaa, Robert Wilken, Sylvie Geisendorf
Summary: Energy efficiency measures are crucial for combating climate change, but rebound effects may undermine their effectiveness. This study finds that prior energy efficiency behavior does not hinder subsequent climate-friendly behavior, which is determined by individual demographics and environmental attitudes.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Ecology
James R. Meldrum, Patricia A. Champ, Hannah Brenkert-Smith, Christopher M. Barth, Abby E. McConnell, Carolyn Wagner, Colleen Donovan
Summary: This study reassessed a previous study using a richer dataset and found that individuals with lower incomes are less likely to participate in cost-sharing programs, and even if they do participate, they contribute a lower share. This indicates potential economic equity concerns.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Daniel Rueb
Summary: This paper examines the distributional effects of the European Commission's Fit-for-55 package at the household level in seven EU countries and finds that a household-size specific lump-sum refund can mitigate the negative distributional effects of a carbon tax and reduce overall inequality.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2024)
Correction
Ecology
Anke Jacksohn, Miguel Angel Tovar Reanos, Frank Pothen, Katrin Rehdanz
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Pierre Chiaverina, Sophie Drogue, Florence Jacquet
Summary: This study investigates the impact of farmers' participation in different short food supply chains (SFSCs) on synthetic pesticide use and crop yields. The findings show that farmers who sell part of their crops through direct-to-consumer channels use significantly fewer synthetic pesticides compared to those who sell through long food supply chains. However, there is no evidence that farmers involved in direct-to-retailer channels use significantly fewer synthetic pesticides. Additionally, there is no indication that SFSC participation affects crop yields.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Kangyin Dong, Yang Liu, Jianda Wang, Xiucheng Dong
Summary: This study uses the generalized method of moments (GMM) model to explore the relationship between the digital economy and energy vulnerability in 110 economies. The findings suggest that the digital economy effectively reduces energy vulnerability, with digital infrastructure and social impact being the main contributors. Furthermore, the digital economy helps upgrade the industrial structure and financial development level, thereby reducing energy vulnerability. Additionally, the negative impact of the digital economy on energy vulnerability is more significant in regions with higher income levels.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Romain Espinosa, Nicolas Treich
Summary: This study examines a simple model of consumption of animals with altruistic behavior towards animals. The model reveals a public good issue, where the market equilibrium leads to low quality and excessive quantity of animal lives when they are not worth living. The implications of the findings and the significance of the modeling choices for future economic research on animal welfare are discussed.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Arianna Buratto, Lorenzo Lotti
Summary: Finding ways to steer consumers towards vegetarian and plant-based meals is important for reducing the environmental impact of diets. In this study, we investigated the use of nudges in restaurants to increase sales of vegetarian and plant-based dishes. We found that removing symbols for these dishes increased sales, while adding a low emissions symbol had no effect. However, when the nudge was made transparent through a statement, sales significantly increased. These findings support the use of nudges as cost-effective interventions to address unsustainable food consumption in the hospitality sector.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Emmanuel Paroissien, Timothy K. M. Beatty, Antoine Nebout
Summary: This article provides empirical evidence that the opportunity cost of time explains the frequency of household food waste. The study found that proxies for the opportunity cost of time were positively correlated with the probability of reporting wasting food.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Jefim Vogel, Gauthier Guerin, Daniel W. O'Neill, Julia K. Steinberger
Summary: This study explores the vulnerability of livelihoods to a reduction in economic output and introduces a novel analytic framework to describe their relationship. The study finds that the vulnerability is not inevitable but arises from insecurity in wage labor, adequate incomes, and pensions. These conditions are primarily due to profit maximization and neoliberal welfare and labor policies. The study identifies a range of interventions to overcome this vulnerability and make stringent environmental policies socially sustainable and politically palatable.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Franziska Dorn, Simone Maxand, Thomas Kneib
Summary: Understanding the interconnected nature of rising carbon emissions and income inequality is crucial to achieve social and ecological sustainability. The distributional copula model used in this study uncovers complex interdependencies that standard linear regression techniques might hide.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Darius Corbier, Frederic Gonand
Summary: The article investigates the macroeconomic channels of transmission of the low-carbon transition in two official scenarios for the French power system under different oil price scenarios. The results show that technical progress and substitution mechanisms can drive the decarbonization of the economy and growth, with energy demand and durable goods demand being the main transmission channels.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Gloria Amaris, Stepan Vesely, Stephane Hess, Christian A. Klockner
Summary: The study of human behavior is crucial for the development of policies for sustainability. It is important to consider the possibility of spillover effects in mathematical models, as exposure to related choices can influence subsequent behavior. Our study demonstrates the existence of these spillover effects and showcases the effectiveness of discrete choice models.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Sonia Almeida Neves, Antonio Cardoso Marques, Leonardo Batista de sa Lopes
Summary: This paper investigates the impact of European Union regulations on e-waste exports. The findings suggest that taxation is ineffective in reducing e-waste exports and may even increase them. Additionally, high dependence on foreign raw materials and sub-standard waste collection systems contribute to the increase in e-waste exports. Therefore, investing in e-waste collection facilities can better utilize the valuable resources in this waste.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Gregor Semieniuk
Summary: Efforts to decouple economic growth from resource use and negative environmental impacts have yielded inconclusive results, partially due to the uncertainties in historical measurement arising from definitional changes to GDP. This study examines the impact of GDP vintages on decoupling results and finds that a significant number of countries switch between relative decoupling and recoupling, and that GDP vintages also affect environmental Kuznets curve results and the decline in global energy intensity. The inconsistencies in economic measurement introduce ambiguity into historical decoupling evidence and model projections into the future.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2024)