Degrowth: Rethinking Prosperity in an Age of Climate Crisis

 Degrowth: Rethinking Prosperity in an Age of Climate Crisis

The Growth Dilemma

For over a century, the American economy has thrived on a singular mantra: growth is good. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), quarterly profits, and stock market surges have long been held as signs of national health. But in an era of rising climate chaos, social inequality, and ecological collapse, a provocative idea is challenging that assumption: degrowth.

Degrowth isn’t about economic collapse or austerity. Instead, it calls for a deliberate reduction of economic activity in rich nations to bring human systems back within ecological limits. It asks: can we live better by consuming less? Can we measure success by well-being instead of production?

Why Degrowth Now?

Degrowth has roots in ecological economics and radical political thought, but it’s gaining traction as climate warnings become dire. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has stated that avoiding catastrophic warming requires rapid, far-reaching transitions in energy, land use, and industry.

The U.S., with just over 4% of the global population, contributes nearly 15% of global emissions. Much of this comes from overconsumption—sprawling suburbs, energy-hungry lifestyles, and throwaway consumer culture.

What Does Degrowth Propose?

Degrowth isn’t about “going back” but moving forward differently. Its proposals include:

• Shorter workweeks to share labor and reduce burnout

• Universal basic services (housing, healthcare, education) over consumer-driven economies

• Limits on advertising and planned obsolescence

• Shifting away from GDP as a measure of national success

• Public investments in care work, arts, and community life

Rather than striving for more stuff, degrowth calls for more meaning, more time, more equity.

American Barriers and Emerging Movements

In a country where “growth” is synonymous with freedom and the American Dream, degrowth faces cultural resistance. Politicians rarely campaign on consuming less. But on the margins, the movement is growing. Groups like the Post Growth Institute and The Next System Project are laying blueprints for post-capitalist economies.

During COVID-19, the U.S. saw glimpses of degrowth in action: reduced emissions, less commuting, a renewed appreciation for mutual aid and local economies. The question is whether these values can become policy—not just a pandemic-era pause.

July 04, 2025

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