Approaches to Resource Conservation in the Context of Post-Growth Concepts

The recent institutions of society and economy are mainly focused on economic growth, measured in Gross National Product (GDP). This enhances a consumption of resources that is incompatible with planetary boundaries. Current environmental policies have not succeeded in decoupling resource consumption from economic growth in a sufficient manner.

The project analyzes what exactly can Degrowth, Post-Growth and Green-Growth approaches contribute towards absolute reduction of resources throughput. First, drivers of economic growth and growth-dependent societal institutions will be identified and systematized. Then the systematization is complemented with the context of resource conservation. Afterwards, we suggest a conception of a resource-light post-growth-society and a pathway for its realization. The project is supported by a scientific advisory board which is partly based on the scientific members of the committee of enquiry (Enquete-Kommission) “Growth, Wealth, Quality of Life – Ways to a sustainability and progress in the Social Market Economy” of the German Federal Parliament (German Bundestag).