ENOUGH – Thriving Societies Beyond Growth
The ecological crisis shows that infinite growth on a finite planet is impossible. Meanwhile, the current economic system fails to secure livelihoods and exacerbates inequalities. There is an alternative to this self-destructive system: an economy of enough, which would provide for everyone’s basic needs while addressing greed and overconsumption.
The EU has the potential to lead the ecological transition. Although the Green Deal was a significant step forward, it remains entrenched in a growth-addicted economy centered on competition within a single market, and it does not sufficiently address social inequality. We need to envision a different European economy, rooted in a new paradigm, before we can build it.
In this essay, the authors build on the work of visionaries, both past and present, recognising that Earth is on loan to us from future generations. They explore how societies can thrive without depending on economic growth. The essay presents a compelling vision: fewer private jets, less inequality, fewer burnouts, and reduced waste, alongside more quality of life, more time for each other, more sustainable products, and a healthier planet. In other words, this essay provides the keys to imagining a different Europe – one that ensures a good life for everyone within the planet’s limits.
The ecological crisis in its entirety, including climate change,
biodiversity loss and all its other facets, is without doubt
the greatest challenge of our lifetime. […] For this reason,
grand projects like the European Green Deal have
begun to address social dimensions to guarantee
that the transition is a just one.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Dirk Holemans
is director of Think Tank Oikos in Belgium and former co-president of the Green European Foundation.
Lara Ferrante
is a staff member at Oikos and wrote a master’s thesis on degrowth.
Elze Vermaas
is a staff member at Oikos and former vice-chair of the Dutch young green think tank Jong Wetenschappelijk Bureau GroenLinks.
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