We live in a time of ecological and climate crises, as well as increasing levels of inequality and stress. There are many people and groups that are working to mitigate and transform these problems, and this week of webinars will bring many of them together to discuss how their strategies and tactics are part of the global and Australian degrowth movement.
"Degrowth" refers to a set of theories and a powerful, growing, social and economic movement - that critique the paradigm of endless economic growth. The idea of 'degrowth' is that wealthy economies should move past growth of gross domestic product (GDP) as a goal, scale down destructive and unnecessary forms of production to reduce energy and material use, and focus economic activity around securing human needs and ecological well-being. Degrowth is a purposeful strategy to create localised, socially just and ecologically-centred societies and economies.
The New Economy Network Australia (NENA) and Degrowth Network Australia (DNA) recently co-hosted "Degrowth Week", which featured webinars and discussions about what degrowth is, why we need it, and how we can keep moving towards it.