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Society needs to overcome the growth addiction

Development Policy10 Jun 2010Bas de Leeuw

Rebound effects and growth have been leading to a failure of the efficiency concept to deliver sustainability. How to overcome the addiction of society to growth?

A 12 step method was proposed for a recovery process, including admitting the lock-in, understanding the issue, developing a strategy for change while being explicit of the benefits.

A Japanese study indicates that car use and cooking at home needs to be reduced.

It was also suggested by the participants of the parallel session to develop networks between companies to enable better recycling and reuse, and to improve ICT global systems, so that they can identify bad performers.

Policies to help promote degrowth should not only come from the environmental fields, but also from economic and social perspective. Labor policies (working hours) and spatial planning policies (for instance construction of new highways) are key examples.