1) Degrowth is a proposal for a new political project that aims to address challenges like climate change, inequality, and unsustainability by imagining alternative futures with less production and consumption in industrialized nations. 2) It draws from ideas in feminism, environmentalism, and other political traditions and argues for a restructuring of activities, energy use, social relations and more to live well with less. 3) Proponents advocate a package of policies like green taxes, work sharing and basic incomes to transition away from an economy based on endless growth, which they believe exacerbates issues like climate change.

1. Degrowth: A Vocabulary for a new
era
Federico Demaria
Research & Degrowth,
ICTA UAB (Spain)
Twitter: @R_Degrowth
Facebook page: Research &
Degrowth

2. Challenges
- Gender inequalities and violence;
- Climate change;
- Poverty;
- Inequality;
- Private and public debt;
- The sustainability of the welfare state;
- Etc…

3. A common horizon?
There are different grassroots groups and social
movements that address each one of these
challenges.
BUT…
- How could we bring them together?
-Is there not a lack of a common horizon?

4. Degrowth: A proposal for a political project
Degrowth is about naming alternative socio-
environmental futures.
Another world is possible, but what world?
What do we want?
What is our collective project?

5. Degrowth: A proposal for a political project
Degrowth: a slogan launched by environmental activists
in France at the beginning of the 2000s.
Drawing from different political traditions, such as:
- Feminism;
- Environmentalism;
- Marxism;
- Anarchism;
- Alter-globalization,...

6. Degrowth: Where does it come from?
Degrowth: a slogan launched by environmental activists
in France at the beginning of the 2000s.
Drawing from different political traditions, such as:
- Feminism;
- Environmentalism;
- Marxism;
- Anarchism;
- Alter-globalization,...

7. Degrowth: Why?
Degrowth is about imagining and enacting alternative
visions to modern growth-based development.
(Sustainable) development = Economic growth
Development is a linear process, but ecosystems are
circular…
e.g. Climate change

8. More economic growth, more CO2 emissions.

9. Degrowth: A definition?
1) CRITIQUE:
Challenge the hegemony of economic growth.
2) PROPOSAL:
Live better with less, and differently.

11. Degrowth: Why?
LESS:
Degrowth calls for a democratically led redistributive
downscaling of production and consumption in
industrialized countries as a means to achieve
environmental sustainability, social justice and well
being.
See: Demaria, F., Schneider, F., Sekulova, F., Martinez-Alier, J. (2013). What
is degrowth? From an activist slogan to a social movement. Environmental
Values 22 (2): 191-215.

12. Degrowth: Why?
DIFFERENT:
- Activities;
- Forms and uses of energy;
- Social relations;
- Gender roles;
- Allocations of time between paid and un-paid work;
- Relations with the non-human world;
- ...

13. Degrowth: A vocabulary for a new era
- Simplicity;
- Conviviality;
- Autonomy;
- Care;
- Commons;
- ...
See: www.vocabulary.degrowth.org

14. Common criticisms
- Degrowth = Economic recession?
- Technology can solve everything!
- Population growth is the main problem!
- What about development countries?
- ...

15. Since 2008: a new phase
The world won’t be as before.
The Wall Street Journal: "In Europe, as in the U.S.,
voters are angry at political elites and frustrated by
slow growth".
Can we give this frustration a new meaning and
direction, other than that of closure and phobia?

16. Since 2008: a new phase
The political: It’s the struggle over the kinds of worlds
citizens want to create.
We live in a post-political condition, no legitimacy for
dissenting voices.

17. Degrowth: a Frame
Framing process:
1) Diagnosis: What are the social problems? Who is
responsible?
2) Prognosis: What can we do about them? How shall it
be done? Who is going to do it? For whom?
→ Repoliticization!
i.e. Contesting the un-contestable
(Demaria et al 2013)

18. Strategies and actors
- Oppositional activism → Activists
- Grass-roots alternative practices → Practitioners
- Research → Intellectuals
- Dissemination / Raising awareness → Journalists, Educators,
Artists,...
- Institutional politics → Political parties and movements
- What and who else...?
Multiple strategies and multiple scales!

19. 1. Citizen debt audit
2. Work-sharing
3. Basic and maximum income
4. Green tax reform
5. Stop subsidizing and investing in polluting activities
6. Support the alternative, solidarity society
7. Optimise the use of buildings
8. Reduce advertising
9. Establish environmental limits
10. Abolish the use of GDP as indicator of economic
progress
→ A coherent package of mutually supportive measures
10 'Degrowth' policy proposals

20. Some conclusions
Degrowth, born as an activist slogan, has become a frame for a
social movement as well as a concept debated in academia.
Degrowth aims to repoliticize public debates.
What kinds of worlds do we want to create?

21. How can degrowth deliver what it promises?

22. The most vital and urgent task for society is imagining
a world without growth.

23. Thanks!
For updates:
Twitter: @R_Degrowth
Facebook: Research & Degrowth
Website: www.degrowth.org
Subscribe to our newsletter!
References:
D'Alisa G, Demaria F, Kallis G (2014). “Degrowth: A Vocabulary for a New Era”. Routledge.
Asara, V., Otero, I., Demaria, F., Corbera, E. (2015) Socially sustainable Degrowth as a Social-
Ecological Transformation: Repoliticizing Sustainability. Sustainability Science.
Demaria, F., Schneider, F., Sekulova, F., Martinez-Alier, J. (2013). What is degrowth? From an
activist slogan to a social movement. Environmental Values 22 (2): 191-215.

24. Carbon budget (IPCC, 2013)
Source: Carbon Tracker and Grantham Institute (Imperial College – LSE; 2013; carbonbubble.info)
See also: Meinshausen et al, 2009; IPCC, 2013; Le Quere et al, 2013.

25. More economic growth, more CO2 emissions.