{"id":341617,"date":"2024-09-05T12:49:48","date_gmt":"2024-09-05T10:49:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=341617"},"modified":"2024-09-05T12:49:50","modified_gmt":"2024-09-05T10:49:50","slug":"degrowth-the-final-solution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=341617","title":{"rendered":"Degrowth: The Final Solution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Master Resource<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Robert Bradley Jr.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cDegrowth is about government authoritarianism overriding the natural human impulse to improve. Marcus Feldthus of the Copenhagen Business School needs to reeducate himself about ends and means to at least be able to inform his students about the happy side of life and living.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

No-growth (stagnation) is bad enough. In business, every promotion must be balanced by a demotion or retirement. For one person to buy more, another person must buy less. Charity not, the zero sum game is a recipe for low morale and infighting, just of the opposite of charity through abundance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take another step backward to a negative<\/em> sum game. More losers than winners. The survival of the fittest. Glum is the word as rising expectations is replaced by despair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Less is not more but less. Less convenience, less leisure, less security, and less philanthropy toward others. And with incentives stymied, the desperadoes look to government to intervene at the expense of others. French economist and classical liberal Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Bastiat<\/a> (1801-1850) wrote<\/a> in 1848:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u2026 it is a well-established fact that the state cannot procure satisfaction for some without adding to the labor of others\u2026. The state is the great fictitious entity by which everyone seeks to live at the expense of everyone else.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What needs \u201cdegrowth\u201d is government, not the market, a subject for another time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPlanetary Boundaries\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the latest thinking and pitch from the degrowth movement? This social media post from Marcus Feldthus<\/a>, whose self-described mission is to \u201cbuild a post growth business in the pursuit of sustainability,\u201d provides an update. His website advertises an online course, \u201cAligning Business with Planetary Boundaries<\/a>,\u201d based on four precepts (verbatim):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Why green growth fails to deliver results fast enough and sufficiently.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. How the\u00a0inequality and ecological crises are connected.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Cases of companies that get sustainability right and wrong.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. How to start implementing post growth thinking in a business.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    He urges his students to \u201cstart a conversation about the assumptions in your company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    No-growth, de-growth \u2026. Ouch! Calling Julian Simon<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Feldthus continues on the environmental front (reproduced verbatim):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. Assuming you can\u00a0decouple carbon emissions from economic growth<\/strong>\u00a0sufficiently\u00a0<\/strong>to live up to the Paris Agreement\u00a0(no evidence of that happening)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. \u00a0Assuming some\u00a0new technology will magically appear<\/strong>\u00a0and solve point 1 (techno-optimism ignores that hope is not a strategy)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. \u00a0Assuming climate change is the only problem<\/strong>\u00a0(when there are 8 other planetary boundaries)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. \u00a0Assuming\u00a0stable prices on energy and materials\u00a0<\/strong>(when energy expenditures are increasing)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. \u00a0Assuming that\u00a0increases in energy efficiencies lead to absolute energy and material reductions<\/strong>\u00a0in a growth-based system (the money you save, you use to grow the output, to make more money, which cancels out the initial savings \u2013 also known as The Rebound Effect)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    6. \u00a0Assuming that you can\u00a0recycle your way out of the ecological crisis\u00a0<\/strong>(the 2nd law of thermodynamics explains why that is not possible)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    7. \u00a0Assuming that\u00a0services have no, or an insignificant, ecological footprint\u00a0<\/strong>(services cannot entirely replace the material sector)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Marcus Feldthus sees hope and momentum:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n

      Degrowth is breaking into the mainstream. Covered by: UN, Harvard Business Review, NY Times, Ernst & Young, BBC, and Bloomberg Festival. As something to be explored, not ridiculed. Here is a quote from each\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      Bloomberg Festival<\/em>: Ted Talk by Gaya Herrington<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

      \n

      \u201cOur choice is not whether to keep growing or not. But whether the end of growth is coming by design or disaster. Either we choose limits or have them forced upon us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Harvard Business Review<\/em>: In Defense of Degrowth<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

      \n

      \u201cThe core of the degrowth argument is the historical fact that economic growth and emissions are inexorably connected (\u2026) To be realistic about the fundamental challenges of growth, we must adjust our cultural assumptions and reconfigure unsustainable business models.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      UN Rapporteur<\/em>, Olivier De Schutter: Eradicating poverty beyond growth<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

      \n

      \u201cThe transition to a post-growth development trajectory, focused on the realization of human rights rather than on an increase in the aggregate levels of production and consumption, should be explicitly mentioned in A Pact for the Future\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      New York Times<\/em>: Shrink the Economy, Save the World?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cLess than two decades ago, an economist like Herman Daly, who argued for a \u201csteady-state economy,\u201d was such an outlier that his fellow economist Benjamin Friedman could declare that \u201cpractically nobody opposes economic growth per se.\u201d Yet today there is a burgeoning \u201cpost-growth\u201d and \u201cdegrowth\u201d movement doing exactly that \u2014 in journals, on podcasts, at conferences.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Ernst & Young<\/em>: A new economy<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

      \n

      \u201cSeemingly organized under many different frameworks (e.g., Doughnut Economics, Beyond GDP, ecological economics, degrowth and regenerative economics), these concepts share the common vision of an economy founded on human and planetary flourishing. We suggest they also point to five guiding principles foundational to accelerating the transition toward this goal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      BBC<\/em>: Less is more: Can Degrowth Save The World? by <\/a>Alvaro Alvarez Ricciardelli<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

      \n

      \u201cA group of academics and activists are questioning the possibility of endless economic growth on a finite planet. They instead advocate for a bold solution: degrowth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      And, if you want to understand what this shift means for businesses, I just launched a beginner\u2019s guide on it. It\u2019s called Post Growth Business 101.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"\"<\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

      Get it here:\u00a0https:\/\/lnkd.in\/ePFW-j5a<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Final Comment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Degrowth is the final solution against modernity. It is an anti-human philosophy of stagnation and decline based on the belief that there are too many people. Remember Paul Ehrlich?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Degrowth is a fringe movement within Deep Ecology. It sanctions deindustrialization and thus welcomes high energy prices and energy rationing, even blackouts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Degrowth is about government authoritarianism overriding the natural human impulse to improve. It lurks in high places and must be exposed for what it is. Marcus Feldthus of the Copenhagen Business School needs to reeducate himself about ends and means to at least be able to inform his students about the happy side of life and living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Degrowth is the final solution against modernity. It is an anti-human philosophy of stagnation and decline based on the belief that there are too many people. Remember Paul Ehrlich?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":341622,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691830474,691818643,691822129],"class_list":{"0":"post-341617","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-anti-human-philosophy","9":"tag-degrowth","10":"tag-green-growth","12":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image-86.png?fit=2560%2C1600&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1qRX","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":334804,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=334804","url_meta":{"origin":341617,"position":0},"title":"Wash Post Editorial Board denounces \u2018de-growth communism\u2019 \u2013 \u2018Ending growth won\u2019t save the planet\u2019","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"27\/06\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Climate Depot founder Marc Morano at least credited The Atlantic for saying \u201cthe quiet part out loud\u201d in comments to MRC Business. \u201cNet zero in the climate agenda is really nothing short of Soviet-style central planning. Every sector of our economy is subject to long range planning to meet net\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"climate agenda\"","block_context":{"text":"climate agenda","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-agenda"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0-destroyed-city-44.jpeg?fit=1110%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0-destroyed-city-44.jpeg?fit=1110%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0-destroyed-city-44.jpeg?fit=1110%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0-destroyed-city-44.jpeg?fit=1110%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0-destroyed-city-44.jpeg?fit=1110%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 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\u201cgreen growth\u201d appears irresistible to politicians from developed Western countries. And it\u2019s not hard to see why. As reflected in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) presented by President Biden and the European Union\u2019s $270 billion \u201cGreen Deal Industrial Plan\u201d, among others, there\u2019s a dual promise of environmental\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Green Deal Industrial Plan\"","block_context":{"text":"Green Deal Industrial Plan","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=green-deal-industrial-plan"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/0klimakatastrophe-apokalypse-weltuntergang-hysterie-erderwaermung-bild.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/0klimakatastrophe-apokalypse-weltuntergang-hysterie-erderwaermung-bild.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/0klimakatastrophe-apokalypse-weltuntergang-hysterie-erderwaermung-bild.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/0klimakatastrophe-apokalypse-weltuntergang-hysterie-erderwaermung-bild.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/0klimakatastrophe-apokalypse-weltuntergang-hysterie-erderwaermung-bild.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":379109,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=379109","url_meta":{"origin":341617,"position":5},"title":"Blackouts are Good (?)","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"21\/05\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cThe Progressive Left is being pillared to stop pushing 20 percent issues (80 percent nonsupport). Blackouts might be a 2 percent issue. The working class deserves the Democrat Party to ditch climate alarm and forced energy transformation\u2013for all the right reasons.\u201d","rel":"","context":"In \"Big Brother authoritarianism\"","block_context":{"text":"Big Brother authoritarianism","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=big-brother-authoritarianism"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0Net-Zero-City-Blackout.jpg?fit=1200%2C778&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0Net-Zero-City-Blackout.jpg?fit=1200%2C778&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0Net-Zero-City-Blackout.jpg?fit=1200%2C778&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0Net-Zero-City-Blackout.jpg?fit=1200%2C778&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0Net-Zero-City-Blackout.jpg?fit=1200%2C778&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341617","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=341617"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341617\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":341625,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341617\/revisions\/341625"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/341622"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=341617"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=341617"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=341617"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}