R5: A Degrowth Transition Towards Post-Growth Economies

Beyond the Fairy Tales of Green Growth

1. The urgency of moving beyond economic growth cannot be more urgent The
Federation of Young European Greens (FYEG) aims to address the roots of
oppression and the ecological crisis, generating collective responses aligned
with science and global justice. Honouring the plural and dynamic history of the
degrowth movement and its close connection with the alter-globalisation and
ecofeminists movements, FYEG is willing to continue uplifting the voices and
struggles in favour of a good life for all within planetary boundaries.

2. A recent study shows that without abandoning economic growth, high-income
countries would take over 220 years to reduce their emissions by 95%, far
exceeding their quotas to stay within the 1.5° warming limit of the Paris
Agreement [1]. The scientific consensus indicates that economic growth cannot be
decoupled from ecological impacts at the pace and scale required, necessitating
a shift to a post growth paradigm, including a phase of degrowth in economies
that exceed the planet's regenerative capacity [2]. Despite this, "green growth"
has been promoted since the 1990s as a way to continue economic growth while
reducing environmental impacts, a notion unsupported by biophysical reality. In
Europe, "green growth" is embedded in the European Green Deal as a "growth
strategy," aligning with corporate interests, including fossil fuel companies.

The Beyond Growth Conference organised in the European Parliament in 2023 marked
a significant moment for this paradigm shift to start materialising. The 2024
European Elections revealed the failure of democratic and progressive forces to
offer an alternative narrative to the green growth discourse embraced by the
European Commission. FYEG believes we are at a turning point in how the EU views
post-growth.

Why Do We Need Degrowth?

3. Degrowth involves a planned reduction of energy and material use to bring the
economy into balance with the living world, reducing inequality and improving
human well-being globally and locally, now and in the future.

4. Climate justice advocates argue that the devastation caused by neoliberal
capitalism cannot be solved by the same expansionist principles with a green
facade. A global political perspective is essential to address ecological
injustices and the unequal distribution of impacts. This includes ending
resource appropriation from the Global South by the Global North and debt
cancellation, alongside urgent decarbonization by countries with the greatest
historical emissions. Ignoring these issues can lead to eco-fascism, where
wealthy nations externalise damage and collapse to poorer regions.

This externalisation affects nature, the Global South, and women, highlighting
the care crisis and economic models prioritising the economic benefits of an
elite over life. Degrowth opposes the cheapening of labour and resources and the
racist ideologies supporting it, realising decolonization and a focus on human
needs instead of capital accumulation for organising the economy.

5. The degrowth transition requires restructuring economies that exceed
ecological capacities, such as those in Europe, to decelerate justly without
recession-induced suffering. Regions in Europe with higher historical emissions
and higher current ecological footprints must degrow more rapidly. Redirecting
resources from less necessary production like fossil fuels, fast fashion,
industrial farming, or luxury goods to activities enhancing human and
environmental well-being, like clean energy, essential services, agroecology,
and care, is crucial. Abandoning GDP growth as a policy goal, in favour of
ecosocial metrics like life expectancy, health, education, housing, and
sustainable work, is essential for both ecosystems and human well being.

Degrowth from Intersectional Lenses

6. An intersectional perspective recognizes that systems of oppression are
interconnected and mutually reinforcing. Overcoming these oppressions requires
addressing the worldview of separation underpinning growth, competition, and
profit maximisation. Degrowth represents a relational worldview, recognizing
interdependence and humanity's humble place within the broader ecosystem.

From Degrowth to Post-Growth

7. Given that universal human needs and global well-being cannot be achieved
under a growth-centric capitalist system, FYEG advocates for degrowth as a
strategy to move beyond an economic growth-centred society to a post-growth
society that transcends capitalism. This involves transitioning to an economy in
harmony with nature, where thriving without growth is possible.

8. We want to be part of the movement to unite as many Greens and progressive
forces
across Europe as possible around post-growth, influencing whole political
systems and working with civil society. We should expand our reflections,
movement building, and outreach sources, as well as develop policy alternatives
to the current capitalist system, expanding the debates on universal basic
services, universal basic income or universal care income, working time
reduction, a green job guarantee, caps on income and wealth, flight quotas, an
agroecological transition, support to the social and solidarity economy, and
deliberative forums among many other policy proposals at different scales.

Therefore, we, the Federation of Young European Greens and Young Green political
organisations of Europe, commit to:

We further explore the possibility to join the International Degrowth Network as
a formal member.

Final Words

While the goal of a post-growth society is becoming clearer, progressive forces
must articulate strategies, political programs, and communication methods to
enable radical changes for a dignified life for all within planetary boundaries.
FYEG plays a crucial role in connecting scientific evidence with social and
political actions centred on life sustainability, emphasising and putting in
action degrowth strategies.

References
1- Vogel, J., & Hickel, J. (2023). Is green growth happening? An empirical
analysis of achieved versus Paris-compliant CO2–GDP decoupling in high-income
countries. The Lancet Planetary Health, 7(9), e759-e769.
2- Parrique, T., Barth, J., Briens, F., Kerschner, C., Kraus-Polk, A.,
Kuokkanen, A., & Spangenberg, J. H. (2019). Decoupling debunked. Evidence and
arguments against green growth as a sole strategy for sustainability. A study
edited by the European Environment Bureau EEB