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- 1. In your effort to design livable and inclusive cities, how did you tackle personal transportation?
- 3. Personal Transportation • Dense cities have a smaller per capita climate footprint Environment Human Health Community Chapter 6 ⇧Urban areas 34% ⇧ 6% Densification • Insufficient density for effective or affordable public transit
- 4. Why Policy? Tragedy of the Commons Garret Harden, 1968 (American Ecologist) Where a group of individuals, each acting as an individual, share a common resource, an individual’s personal share of profit is greater than the individual’s share of the loss. There is incentive to consume all of the available resources. Without regulation, cost or public transparency of choices, there’s no incentive to hold back Use or lose it mentality Lack of Collective Thinking Lec 06-01 How does this apply to the personal automobile?
- 5. Why Policy? Tragedy of the Commons Garret Harden, 1968 (American Ecologist) Where a group of individuals, each acting as an individual, share a common resource, an individual’s personal share of profit is greater than the individual’s share of the loss. There is incentive to consume all of the available resources. Without regulation, cost or public transparency of choices, there’s no incentive to hold back Use or lose it mentality Lack of Collective Thinking Lec 06-01 How does this apply to the personal automobile? + Time Saved + Convenience + Comfort - Congestion - Air pollution - Loss of Community Individual Drives Car Everyone else shares the loss
- 6. Miller’s Personal Transportation • Purchasing • Tendering • Infrastructure • Incentives • Regulations • Taxation • Media • Citizen Power
- 7. Infrastructure, Tendering, Citizen Power Tendering, Purchasing, Infrastructure Infrastructure, Purchasing, Citizen Power Tendering, Purchasing, Infrastructure Infrastructure, Tendering, Citizen Power Infrastructure, Incentives Taxation, Regulations, Citizen Power, Media Tendering, Purchasing, Infrastructure, Citizen Power
- 8. Styles of Government Intervention Early stage intervention Framing, piloting and market forming Scaling, mainstreaming and market building Moving in mature markets and policy ecosystems Collaborator Work with others to build evidence and develop ideas Champion Build a case for change and retain alliances for action Convening power Draw together expertise from across the system Connecting networks Encourage government, experts, and citizens can co-create change Co-producing Co-deliver by steering different actors from across the system to deliver outcomes Steward Steer a sector through influence and information Agenda setting Build awareness and confidence in new opportunities by providing thought leadership Strategy and skills planning Prepare for changing demands and consequences of change Educating and informing Ensure regulation is sufficiently available to them Collaborating Provide platforms for citizens to protect vested rights and interests Consumer Buy goods and commission services Catalyst Review, identify and prioritize key opportunities with strategic value Standard setting Develop standards for data collection and presentation User centred commissioner Understand citizen needs and contract services that deliver best impact Leverage buying power Utilize public procurement to encourage investment, innovation, and protect consumer rights Provider Design, provide and modify public services Innovator Create test beds, sandboxes, and trials in real world settings Service redesign Establish legitimacy for more human- centred services, harnessing political will for change Service provider Provide services directly or indirectly through funding and target setting Choice architect behaviour so that the default is both attractive and easy Funder Stimulate or lead investment Early adopter Invest in the exploration of new opportunities with strategic value Fiscal incentives Direct finance to stimulate new thinking that can drive future opportunities Grants and subsidies Encourage behaviour change through grants or other incentives Platform provision Scale up proven ideas through existing infrastructure and public services Regulator Regulate a sector and coordinate enforcement Encourage voluntary codes Self-regulation, without legislating, allowing for greater flexibility Governance Ensure regulation supports the conditions for change and delivers the policy intent Building a regulatory environment Ensure regulation enables the intended policy outcomes Compliance Support enforcement and harmonize regulatory compliance environment Legislator Make laws and amend legislation Green papers Publish proposals for discussion with stakeholders and the public White papers and draft bills Publish proposals for consultation and pre-legislative scrutiny Primary and secondary law Support a bill through parliament and enact legislation Amend rules Statutory instruments: rules, orders, created by delegated authorities Adapted from UK Policy Lab UK Policy Lab Lec 06-01 Miller’s entire book reflects many different “levers” that can be used by government and planners
- 9. Buy goods and commission services Review, identify and prioritize key opportunities with strategic value Develop standards for data coll and presentation Provider Design, provide and modify public services Innovator Create test beds, sandboxes, and trials in real world settings Service redesign Establish legitimacy for more hu centred services, harnessing po will for change Funder Stimulate or lead investment Early adopter Invest in the exploration of new opportunities with strategic value Fiscal incentives Direct finance to stimulate n thinking that can drive futur opportunities Regulator Regulate a sector and coordinate enforcement Encourage voluntary codes Self-regulation, without legislating, allowing for greater flexibility Governance Ensure regulation supports conditions for change and del the policy intent Legislator Make laws and amend Green papers Publish proposals for discussion with stakeholders and the public White papers and draft bi Publish proposals for consulta and pre-legislative scrutin
- 10. available to them ndard setting dards for data collection presentation User centred commissioner Understand citizen needs and contract services that deliver best impact Leverage buying power Utilize public procurement to encourage investment, innovation, and protect consumer rights vice redesign imacy for more human- es, harnessing political l for change Service provider Provide services directly or indirectly through funding and target setting Choice architect behaviour so that the default is both attractive and easy al incentives nce to stimulate new hat can drive future pportunities Grants and subsidies Encourage behaviour change through grants or other incentives Platform provision Scale up proven ideas through existing infrastructure and public services overnance gulation supports the r change and delivers policy intent Building a regulatory environment Ensure regulation enables the intended policy outcomes Compliance Support enforcement and harmonize regulatory compliance environment
- 11. Congestion Tax • Introduced in London in 2003 • Ecotax reinvested in transit • Reduces traffic in the centre • Some exemptions and discounts are offered • Increased transit services
- 14. Pollutants Transit Offers Chooses Individual Car Convenience Requests Produces Refuses Sprawl Discourages Congestion Tax Discourages Additional Transit Supports Supports Mitigates Biking Requires Bike Lanes Encourages Ultra Low Emissions Zone Reinforces EV Charging System Requires
- 15. Self-Driving Cars Commuting becomes productive time, robo-taxis run errands, quick delivery of goods Significant increase in emissions Unless they are electric, plug into green energy grid, make transit easy BNN Bloomberg Encourage urban sprawl and more roads
- 16. Pollutants Transit Offers Chooses Individual Car Convenience Requests Produces Refuses Sprawl Discourages Congestion Tax Discourages Additional Transit Supports Supports Mitigates Biking Requires Bike Lanes Encourages Ultra Low Emissions Zone Reinforces EV Charging System Requires EV Adoption
- 17. Prevents Pollutants Chooses Car Produces Congestion Tax Discourages Supports Mitigates Biking Requires Bike Lanes Encourages Ultra Low Emissions Zone Reinforces EV Charging System Requires Government Legal Challenge Neighbour- hood Councils Economic Status Necessitates Human Rights Breaches Requires Encourage Services
- 18. An Imagined Plane of Ethical Reasoning Space Beneficence Nonmaleficence Autonomy Justice The better a decision, the more space is filled Harm and Benefit axis Stakeholder Impact axis
- 19. An Imagined Plane of Ethical Reasoning Space Beneficence Nonmaleficence Autonomy Justice The better a decision, the more space is filled Harm and Benefit axis Stakeholder Impact axis Is there validity to the human rights complaint?
- 20. Pollutants Chooses Car Produces Congestion Tax Discourages Supports Mitigates Biking Requires Bike Lanes Encourages Ultra Low Emissions Zone Reinforces EV Charging System Requires Government Legal Challenge Neighbour- hood Councils Economic Status Necessitates Human Rights Breaches Services Prevents Access Requires Surveillance
- 21. Pollutants Chooses Car Produces Congestion Tax Discourages Supports Mitigates Biking Requires Bike Lanes Encourages Ultra Low Emissions Zone Reinforces EV Charging System Requires Government Legal Challenge Neighbour- hood Councils Economic Status Necessitates Human Rights Breaches Services Prevents Access Requires Surveillance
- 22. Pollutants Chooses Car Produces Congestion Tax Discourages Supports Mitigates Biking Requires Bike Lanes Encourages Ultra Low Emissions Zone Reinforces EV Charging System Requires Government Legal Challenge Neighbour- hood Councils Economic Status Necessitates Human Rights Breaches Services Prevents Access Requires Surveillance
- 23. Pollutants Chooses Car Produces Congestion Tax Discourages Supports Mitigates Biking Requires Bike Lanes Encourages Ultra Low Emissions Zone Reinforces EV Charging System Requires Government Legal Challenge Neighbour- hood Councils Economic Status Necessitates Human Rights Breaches Services Prevents Access Requires Surveillance
- 24. Pollutants Chooses Car Produces Congestion Tax Discourages Supports Mitigates Biking Requires Bike Lanes Encourages Ultra Low Emissions Zone Reinforces EV Charging System Requires Government Legal Challenge Neighbour- hood Councils Economic Status Necessitates Human Rights Breaches Services Prevents Access Requires Surveillance Note the human health narrative
- 25. Pollutants Chooses Car Produces Congestion Tax Discourages Supports Mitigates Biking Requires Bike Lanes Encourages Ultra Low Emissions Zone Reinforces EV Charging System Requires Government Legal Challenge Neighbour- hood Councils Economic Status Necessitates Human Rights Breaches Services Prevents Access Requires Surveillance In short: no easy decisions or actions (as articulated throughout Solved) Note the human health narrative
- 26. The post-sustainability trilemma Umberto Mario Sconfienza Cluster of Excellence “Normative Orders”, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany ABSTRACT The paper introduces the Post-Sustainability Trilemma (PST) and argues that it provides a novel description of current environmental politics which is alternative to the one provided by the narrative of sustainability. According to PST, the three policy goals of (i) economic growth, (ii) participation, and (iii) environmental protection cannot be simultaneously attained. Only two of these could. The three possible combinations of PST are then analysed: (i)–(ii) techno business-as-usual; (ii)–(iii) post-growth approaches; (i)–(iii) environmental authoritarianism. Finally, the paper questions whether and under what conditions PST stands. That at least two policy goals could be obtained is a debatable, and debated, claim. In this sense, PST might be considered an over-optimistic framework to organise environmental politics. These considerations open up a space to argue that, given the set of policy possibilities offered by PST, more radical conclusions – such as radical degrowth, radical decentralisation or, even, uncivilisation – might follow. ARTICLE HISTORY Received 28 January 2019 Accepted 14 August 2019 KEYWORDS Authoritarianism; degrowth; democracy; environment; geoengineering; trilemma JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY & PLANNING 2019, VOL. 21, NO. 6, 769–784 https://doi.org/10.1080/1523908X.2019.1673156
- 27. The post-sustainability trilemma Umberto Mario Sconfienza Cluster of Excellence “Normative Orders”, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany ABSTRACT The paper introduces the Post-Sustainability Trilemma (PST) and argues that it provides a novel description of current environmental politics which is alternative to the one provided by the narrative of sustainability. According to PST, the three policy goals of (i) economic growth, (ii) participation, and (iii) environmental protection cannot be simultaneously attained. Only two of these could. The three possible combinations of PST are then analysed: (i)–(ii) techno business-as-usual; (ii)–(iii) post-growth approaches; (i)–(iii) environmental authoritarianism. Finally, the paper questions whether and under what conditions PST stands. That at least two policy goals could be obtained is a debatable, and debated, claim. In this sense, PST might be considered an over-optimistic framework to organise environmental politics. These considerations open up a space to argue that, given the set of policy possibilities offered by PST, more radical conclusions – such as radical degrowth, radical decentralisation or, even, uncivilisation – might follow. ARTICLE HISTORY Received 28 January 2019 Accepted 14 August 2019 KEYWORDS Authoritarianism; degrowth; democracy; environment; geoengineering; trilemma JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY & PLANNING 2019, VOL. 21, NO. 6, 769–784 https://doi.org/10.1080/1523908X.2019.1673156 Offers a framework to help us understand our approach to environmental decision-making Offers a “wider architecture of choices” for policy makers PST is a heuristic Doesn’t prioritize one approach - not prescriptive
- 28. Introduction In the last decade, the field of global environmental politics has been shaped by renewed urgency to find a dur- able solution to the environmental crisis. Until a few years ago, environmental politics was dominated by the sustainability narrative, according to which environmental governance should be neo-liberal, growth-oriented, and optimistic about institutional capacity.1 This article takes a critical view of the sustainability narrative and argues in favour of a novel ‘post-sustainability’ framework – according to which current environmental politics is best understood not as an attempt to realise all the policy goals linked to the three pillars of sustainable devel- opment2 but, rather, by the impossibility of it. Once we accept this reasoned premise, at least three different approaches to environmental politics emerge. These three approaches to environmental governance – techno business-as-usual, post-growth, and environmental authoritarianism – which have so far been analysed separ- ately in the environmental politics literature, are treated here as part of a bigger policy framework which, it is argued, could be useful to policy analysis. Sustainable development still warms the heart of many actors in environmental governance – business actors, politicians, diplomats of the international institutions and NGOs – to the point that it is now at the core of the development agenda of the UN. Yet, since its introduction into the international policy discourse back in 1987 (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987), it has not delivered on its basic promise to develop the Global South (Hickel, 2017a) while protecting the environment. Just to take the three banner issues of Rio 1992: carbon emissions are up to the point that we have less than ten years before we exceed the carbon budget to meet the aspirational goal of Paris (MCC, 2019); biodiversity is rapidly declin- ing (Kolbert, 2014; Rockstrom et al., 2009); and desertification is advancing (Cherlet et al., 2018). © 2019 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way. CONTACT Umberto Mario Sconfienza sconfumberto@gmail.com Cluster of Excellence “The Formation of Normative Orders”, Goethe University Frankfurt/Main, Office 2.15, Max-Horkheimer-Str. 2, Frankfurt am Main, 60323, Germany @sconfumberto
- 29. Introduction In the last decade, the field of global environmental politics has been shaped by renewed urgency to find a dur- able solution to the environmental crisis. Until a few years ago, environmental politics was dominated by the sustainability narrative, according to which environmental governance should be neo-liberal, growth-oriented, and optimistic about institutional capacity.1 This article takes a critical view of the sustainability narrative and argues in favour of a novel ‘post-sustainability’ framework – according to which current environmental politics is best understood not as an attempt to realise all the policy goals linked to the three pillars of sustainable devel- opment2 but, rather, by the impossibility of it. Once we accept this reasoned premise, at least three different approaches to environmental politics emerge. These three approaches to environmental governance – techno business-as-usual, post-growth, and environmental authoritarianism – which have so far been analysed separ- ately in the environmental politics literature, are treated here as part of a bigger policy framework which, it is argued, could be useful to policy analysis. Sustainable development still warms the heart of many actors in environmental governance – business actors, politicians, diplomats of the international institutions and NGOs – to the point that it is now at the core of the development agenda of the UN. Yet, since its introduction into the international policy discourse back in 1987 (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987), it has not delivered on its basic promise to develop the Global South (Hickel, 2017a) while protecting the environment. Just to take the three banner issues of Rio 1992: carbon emissions are up to the point that we have less than ten years before we exceed the carbon budget to meet the aspirational goal of Paris (MCC, 2019); biodiversity is rapidly declin- ing (Kolbert, 2014; Rockstrom et al., 2009); and desertification is advancing (Cherlet et al., 2018). © 2019 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way. CONTACT Umberto Mario Sconfienza sconfumberto@gmail.com Cluster of Excellence “The Formation of Normative Orders”, Goethe University Frankfurt/Main, Office 2.15, Max-Horkheimer-Str. 2, Frankfurt am Main, 60323, Germany @sconfumberto Carbon ⇧ “Sustainable development … has not delivered” because … Desertification ⇧ Biodiversity ⇩
- 30. Three Pillars of Sustainable Development e n v i r o n m e n t a l p r o t e c t i o n e c o n o m i c g r o w t h p a r t i c i p a t o r y g o v e r n a n c e
- 31. Three Pillars of Sustainable Development e n v i r o n m e n t a l p r o t e c t i o n e c o n o m i c g r o w t h p a r t i c i p a t o r y g o v e r n a n c e “Current environmental politics is best understood not as an attempt to realize the three policy goals of sustainable development but, rather, by the impossibility of it”
- 32. Three Pillars of the Sustainable Development Narrative e n v i r o n m e n t a l p r o t e c t i o n e c o n o m i c g r o w t h p a r t i c i p a t o r y g o v e r n a n c e What if we can only have two? post-growth environmental authoritarianism
- 33. • political institutions only “provide the conditions for the individuals to pursue what is valuable to them” ↳ governments “create the conditions for markets to work freely and efficiently” environmental care depends on people’s “tastes” “tastes” for environmental quality are likely to emerge after other needs are satisfied (and too late)
- 34. • political institutions only “provide the conditions for the individuals to pursue what is valuable to them” ↳ governments “create the conditions for markets to work freely and efficiently” environmental care depends on people’s “tastes” “tastes” for environmental quality are likely to emerge after other needs are satisfied (and too late) Short-term market or political gain can outweigh longterm concerns Other factors (e.g. poverty or greed) may curtail action Small incremental changes but not transformative policies
- 35. “These are called Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies, of which bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is currently the most popular. Technological fixes represent the acknowledgement that our democratic institutions, while they have proven to be too valuable to be discarded just yet, might make our societies addicted to carbon consumption too slow to react.” Can economic and technological advancements lead to environmental protection? BECCS may have other environmental impacts Relies on large technological leaps
- 37. Reflecting solar radiation back to space Uncertainties about impact might cause conflict Functions at planetary level and needs autocratic governance
- 38. environmental authoritarianism “The idea is that political participation might manifest itself in a set of choices which, when aggregated at the social level, might impact negatively on the environment. When it happens, participation needs to be curtailed.” Legitimizes authoritarian governments Democratic societies can’t impose limits effectively Small group of decision makers is more effective Restricting participation: electing government, political participation, free market economy
- 39. • Markets already require rules provided by governments • “Private actions” like eating meat and driving, when aggregated, impinge on global ecosystems and human rights Meeting targets may mean rolling black-outs, factory shut-downs, limits on citizen activity Miller’s suggests a comprehensive legislative framework environmental authoritarianism
- 40. • Absolute decoupling between material consumption and GDP cannot be realized Critique of Environmental Authoritarianism After accounting for easy efficiency improvements, protection and growth might be incompatible. • Restraining economic planning may undermine innovation and result in efficiency If you’re still committed to economic growth! • Dissatisfaction might lead to resentment and civil unrest • Public engagement encourages the adoption of measures and acts as a tool for the inclusion of marginalized groups
- 41. Is Green Growth Possible? Jason Hickela and Giorgos Kallisb a Anthropology, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, UK; <j.hickel@gold.ac.uk> b ICREA and ICTA-UAB, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ABSTRACT The notion of green growth has emerged as a dominant policy response to climate change and ecological breakdown. Green growth theory asserts that continued economic expansion is compatible with our planet’s ecology, as technological change and substitution will allow us to absolutely decouple GDP growth from resource use and carbon emissions. This claim is now assumed in national and international policy, including in the Sustainable Development Goals. But empirical evidence on resource use and carbon emissions does not support green growth theory. Examining relevant studies on historical trends and model-based projections, we find that: (1) there is no empirical evidence that absolute decoupling from resource use can be achieved on a global scale against a background of continued economic growth, and (2) absolute decoupling from carbon emissions is highly unlikely to be achieved at a rate rapid enough to prevent global warming over 1.5°C or 2°C, even under optimistic policy conditions. We conclude that green growth is likely to be a misguided objective, and that policymakers need to look toward alternative strategies.
- 42. Is Green Growth Possible? Jason Hickela and Giorgos Kallisb a Anthropology, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, UK; <j.hickel@gold.ac.uk> b ICREA and ICTA-UAB, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ABSTRACT The notion of green growth has emerged as a dominant policy response to climate change and ecological breakdown. Green growth theory asserts that continued economic expansion is compatible with our planet’s ecology, as technological change and substitution will allow us to absolutely decouple GDP growth from resource use and carbon emissions. This claim is now assumed in national and international policy, including in the Sustainable Development Goals. But empirical evidence on resource use and carbon emissions does not support green growth theory. Examining relevant studies on historical trends and model-based projections, we find that: (1) there is no empirical evidence that absolute decoupling from resource use can be achieved on a global scale against a background of continued economic growth, and (2) absolute decoupling from carbon emissions is highly unlikely to be achieved at a rate rapid enough to prevent global warming over 1.5°C or 2°C, even under optimistic policy conditions. We conclude that green growth is likely to be a misguided objective, and that policymakers need to look toward alternative strategies. Emphasizes environmental protection Meet needs within means Curbs material desires and explores other means of “human flourishing”
- 43. e n v i r o n m e n t a l p r o t e c t i o n e c o n o m i c g r o w t h p a r t i c i p a t o r y g o v e r n a n c e post-growth environmental authoritarianism How is the London example reflected here?
- 44. e n v i r o n m e n t a l p r o t e c t i o n e c o n o m i c g r o w t h p a r t i c i p a t o r y g o v e r n a n c e post-growth environmental authoritarianism Drive your car on specified days only Non-motorized vehicles Keep driving and assume carbon capture will work How is the London example reflected here?
- 45. post-growth
- 46. The Problem with Continuous Growth
- 47. The Problem with Continuous Growth What is the problem with this curve?
- 48. The Problem with Continuous Growth What is the problem with this curve? It matches resource use
- 49. The Problem with Continuous Growth What is the problem with this curve? It matches resource use … and when they run out
- 50. “Green growth requires absolute decoupling of GDP from resource use and environmental impact. ... It is not enough to simply ‘minimize’ environmental impact – we must rapidly reduce it down to safe limits.” The Conditions of Green Growth H&K begin with “green growth” (which Sconfienza will call “the narrative of sustainability”) Resource Use Carbon Emissions Week 07-02
- 51. “Green growth requires absolute decoupling of GDP from resource use and environmental impact. ... It is not enough to simply ‘minimize’ environmental impact – we must rapidly reduce it down to safe limits.” The Conditions of Green Growth H&K begin with “green growth” (which Sconfienza will call “the narrative of sustainability”) Resource Use Carbon Emissions Week 07-02 For the global economy to continue to grow it MUST decouple growth from resource use and emissions
- 52. services … but there is no historical evidence that switching to services will, in and of itself, reduce the material throughput of the global economy. Figure 2. (a) Global material footprint, 1970–2013; (b) Change in global material footprint compared to change in global GDP (constant 2010 USD), 1990–2013. Source: Materialflows.net/World Bank. A second argument is that technological innovation and government policy might drive Week 07-02
- 53. services … but there is no historical evidence that switching to services will, in and of itself, reduce the material throughput of the global economy. Figure 2. (a) Global material footprint, 1970–2013; (b) Change in global material footprint compared to change in global GDP (constant 2010 USD), 1990–2013. Source: Materialflows.net/World Bank. A second argument is that technological innovation and government policy might drive Week 07-02 … but that is not possible
- 54. “Sustainable degrowth can be defined from an ecological–economic perspective as a socially sustainable and equitable reduction (and eventually stabilisation) of society's throughput. Throughput refers to the materials and energy a society extracts, processes, transports and distributes, to consume and return back to the environment as waste.” What is Degrowth? Giorgios Kallis, “In Defence of Degrowth” (2011) “Sustainable degrowth” is one of two possibilities (according to Kallis); the other is “cataclysmic degrowth” Week 07-02
- 55. services … but there is no historical evidence that switching to services will, in and of itself, reduce the material throughput of the global economy. Figure 2. (a) Global material footprint, 1970–2013; (b) Change in global material footprint compared to change in global GDP (constant 2010 USD), 1990–2013. Source: Materialflows.net/World Bank. A second argument is that technological innovation and government policy might drive 2040 Desired How then, do we do sustainable degrowth?
- 56. services … but there is no historical evidence that switching to services will, in and of itself, reduce the material throughput of the global economy. Figure 2. (a) Global material footprint, 1970–2013; (b) Change in global material footprint compared to change in global GDP (constant 2010 USD), 1990–2013. Source: Materialflows.net/World Bank. A second argument is that technological innovation and government policy might drive s e r v i c e s … b u t t h e r e i s n o h i s t o r i c a l e v i d e n c e t h a t s w i t c h i n g t o s e r v i c e s w i l l , i n a n d o f i t s e l f t h e m a t e r i a l t h r o u g h p u t o f t h e g l o b a l e c o n o m y . F i g u r e 2 . ( a ) G l o b a l m a t e r i a l f o o t p r i n t , 1 9 7 0 – 2 0 1 3 ; ( b ) C h a n g e i n g l o b a l m a t e r i a l f o o t p r i n t c o m p a r e d t i n g l o b a l G D P ( c o n s t a n t 2 0 1 0 U S D ) , 1 9 9 0 – 2 0 1 3 . S o u r c e : M a t e r i a l f l o w s . n e t / W o r l d B a n k . A s e c o n d a r g u m e n t i s t h a t t e c h n o l o g i c a l i n n o v a t i o n a n d g o v e r n m e n t p o l i c y m i g s e r v i c e s … b u t t h e r e i s n o h i s t o r i c a l e v i d e n c e t h a t s w i t c h i n g t o s e r v i c e s w i l l , i n a n d o t h e m a t e r i a l t h r o u g h p u t o f t h e g l o b a l e c o n o m y . F i g u r e 2 . ( a ) G l o b a l m a t e r i a l f o o t p r i n t , 1 9 7 0 – 2 0 1 3 ; ( b ) C h a n g e i n g l o b a l m a t e r i a l f o o t p r i n t c o m i n g l o b a l G D P ( c o n s t a n t 2 0 1 0 U S D ) , 1 9 9 0 – 2 0 1 3 . S o u r c e : M a t e r i a l f l o w s . n e t / W o r l d B a n k . A s e c o n d a r g u m e n t i s t h a t t e c h n o l o g i c a l i n n o v a t i o n a n d g o v e r n m e n t p o l i c s e r v i c e s … b u t t h e r e i s n o h i s t o r i c a l e v i d e n c e t h a t s w i t c h i n g t o s e r v i c e s w i l l , i n a t h e m a t e r i a l t h r o u g h p u t o f t h e g l o b a l e c o n o m y . F i g u r e 2 . ( a ) G l o b a l m a t e r i a l f o o t p r i n t , 1 9 7 0 – 2 0 1 3 ; ( b ) C h a n g e i n g l o b a l m a t e r i a l f o o t p r i n t i n g l o b a l G D P ( c o n s t a n t 2 0 1 0 U S D ) , 1 9 9 0 – 2 0 1 3 . S o u r c e : M a t e r i a l f l o w s . n e t / W o r l d B A s e c o n d a r g u m e n t i s t h a t t e c h n o l o g i c a l i n n o v a t i o n a n d g o v e r n m e n t s e r v i c e s … b u t t h e r e i s n o h i s t o r i c a l e v i d e n c e t h a t s w i t c h i n g t o s e r v i c e s w i l l , t h e m a t e r i a l t h r o u g h p u t o f t h e g l o b a l e c o n o m y . F i g u r e 2 . ( a ) G l o b a l m a t e r i a l f o o t p r i n t , 1 9 7 0 – 2 0 1 3 ; ( b ) C h a n g e i n g l o b a l m a t e r i a l f o o i n g l o b a l G D P ( c o n s t a n t 2 0 1 0 U S D ) , 1 9 9 0 – 2 0 1 3 . S o u r c e : M a t e r i a l f l o w s . n e t / W o A s e c o n d a r g u m e n t i s t h a t t e c h n o l o g i c a l i n n o v a t i o n a n d g o v e r n m e 2040 We need a rapid reduction in Fossil Fuels use Desired How then, do we do sustainable degrowth? … and overall consumption, especially in WEIRD countries
- 57. Two Prominent Thinkers in the Post-Growth Field
- 58. Cut Advertising End planned obsolescence Shift from ownership to usership End food waste 1 2 3 4 Jason Hickel’s “Pathways to a Post-Capitalist World”*
- 59. Cut Advertising End planned obsolescence Shift from ownership to usership End food waste 1 2 3 4 capitalism should encourage rational efficiency, but it doesn’t because long- lasting devices impede profits Ads work, so we should cut ads. Paris has banned ads near schools e.g. usership of cars encourages companies to take responsibility 50% of food ends as waste. We could cut agriculture in half if we stopped waste Jason Hickel’s “Pathways to a Post-Capitalist World”*
- 60. Scale down ecologically destructive industries Account for human cost Reduce inequality Decommodify public goods 6 7 8 Jason Hickel’s “Pathways to a Post-Capitalist World”* 5
- 61. Scale down ecologically destructive industries Account for human cost Reduce inequality Decommodify public goods 6 7 8 Tax beef—it uses 60% of farm land Cut business class travel shorten work week — if US cut week to same as W.Europe, it would reduce energy consumption by 20% reduced unemployment, increased quality of life, and reduced environmental pressures Maximum wage. Cap CEO wage to worker wage at 10:1 ratio. Tax wealth Free education, Universal Basic Income, Universal Basic Services Jason Hickel’s “Pathways to a Post-Capitalist World”* 5
- 62. The Traditional Linear Economy
- 63. The Traditional Linear Economy British farmland is within 60 harvests of soil collapse We have 25 years’ stock of silver, 40 years of copper
- 66. The Biological Cycle 1. Keep things in service as long as possible 2. Capture all possible resource 3. Return biological into the environment
- 67. Three Major Obstacles to the Circularity of the Biological Cycle Failure of facilities to do consistent capture to separate the biological from non- Mixing of biological with non-biological 1 2 e.g. Poly-cotton blended fabric Lack of regulation that forces producers to take responsibility for avoiding waste 3
- 68. The Biological Cycle 1. Keep things in service as long as possible 2. Capture all possible resource 3. Return biological into the environment
- 70. The Technical Cycle Recycling is the last resort Refurbish often saves 80% of materials DfX — design for maintenance, design for repair Sharing vs. Ownership
- 71. Austin has created a city-wide initiative
- 73. One of the simplest circular moves is repurposing waste construction material or doing careful demolition
- 75. Ucuuba tree timber yields $5USD Ucuuba seed harvesting yields $15USD Natura is the 5th largest cosmetics company globally