7c. Smart, Inclusive and Green Growth, Degrowth and Planetary Boundaries
Track chair:
Joachim H. Spangenberg. Sustainable Europe Research Institute SERI Germany e.V., Germany. Joachim.Spangenberg@seri.de
Goals and objectives of the track:
With the 2008 economic crisis, criticism around the capacity of and limits to our current capitalist economy has grown significantly as it relates to economic growth, the environmental costs of production and consumption processes as well as social inequalities resulting from these practices. As a result, a range of alternative economic practices have emerged at different scales ranging from the local to the international that speak to emerging de-growth debates as they seek to break free from the growth driven capitalist paradigm. This track seeks to facilitate an interdisciplinary discussion around alternative economic concepts and practices by bringing together a range of interpretations, approaches and applications focused around new, alternative, diverse and socially just economic development both in the global North and South. Particular emphasis is places on contributions related to reducing poverty and inequality as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 1 and 10).
Potential themes and topics include but are not restricted to:
- Conceptual contributions that challenge the growth paradigm within capitalism (including ideas of green, smart, post-, de- and qualitative growth)
- Green services and manufacturing
- Smart approaches to greening
- Case studies of anti-consumerist and anti-capitalist initiatives
- Commons, cooperatives and new forms of organizations
- Different forms of sharing economies
- Green / alternative consumer practices (e.g. as they relate to sufficiency and reduced consumption)
- Environmental justice-driven development including pro-poor growth
