Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Welfare after Growth: Theoretical Discussion and Policy Implications

Koch, Max LU (2013) In International Journal of Social Quality 3(1). p.4-20
Abstract
The article discusses approaches to welfare under no-growth conditions and against the background of the growing significance of climate change as a socio-ecological issue. While most governments and scholars favor “green deal” solutions for tackling the climate crisis, a growing number of discussants are casting doubt on economic growth as the answer to it and have provided empirical evidence that the prospects for globally decoupling economic growth and carbon emissions are very low indeed. These doubts are supported by recent

contributions on happiness, well-being and alternative measures of measuring prosperity, which indicate that individual and social welfare is by no means equivalent to GDP growth.If the requirements of... (More)
The article discusses approaches to welfare under no-growth conditions and against the background of the growing significance of climate change as a socio-ecological issue. While most governments and scholars favor “green deal” solutions for tackling the climate crisis, a growing number of discussants are casting doubt on economic growth as the answer to it and have provided empirical evidence that the prospects for globally decoupling economic growth and carbon emissions are very low indeed. These doubts are supported by recent

contributions on happiness, well-being and alternative measures of measuring prosperity, which indicate that individual and social welfare is by no means equivalent to GDP growth.If the requirements of prosperity and welfare go well beyond material sustenance, then

approaches that aim to conceptualize welfare under the circumstances of a “stable state economy” become more relevant. A qualitatively different environmental and welfare policy governance network would need to integrate the redistribution of carbon emissions, work,

time, income and wealth. Since social policies will be necessary to address the emerging inequalities and conflicts, this article considers the roles that the various “no-growth”

approaches dedicate to social policy and welfare instruments. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
climate change, no-growth, political ecology, social policy, welfare
in
International Journal of Social Quality
volume
3
issue
1
pages
4 - 20
publisher
Berghahn Journals
ISSN
1757-0352
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
33d816a2-f1f4-46fd-87b4-6dd680ea545c (old id 4145335)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:42:02
date last changed
2018-11-21 19:49:49
@article{33d816a2-f1f4-46fd-87b4-6dd680ea545c,
  abstract     = {{The article discusses approaches to welfare under no-growth conditions and against the background of the growing significance of climate change as a socio-ecological issue. While most governments and scholars favor “green deal” solutions for tackling the climate crisis, a growing number of discussants are casting doubt on economic growth as the answer to it and have provided empirical evidence that the prospects for globally decoupling economic growth and carbon emissions are very low indeed. These doubts are supported by recent<br/><br>
contributions on happiness, well-being and alternative measures of measuring prosperity, which indicate that individual and social welfare is by no means equivalent to GDP growth.If the requirements of prosperity and welfare go well beyond material sustenance, then<br/><br>
approaches that aim to conceptualize welfare under the circumstances of a “stable state economy” become more relevant. A qualitatively different environmental and welfare policy governance network would need to integrate the redistribution of carbon emissions, work,<br/><br>
time, income and wealth. Since social policies will be necessary to address the emerging inequalities and conflicts, this article considers the roles that the various “no-growth”<br/><br>
approaches dedicate to social policy and welfare instruments.}},
  author       = {{Koch, Max}},
  issn         = {{1757-0352}},
  keywords     = {{climate change; no-growth; political ecology; social policy; welfare}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{4--20}},
  publisher    = {{Berghahn Journals}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Social Quality}},
  title        = {{Welfare after Growth: Theoretical Discussion and Policy Implications}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/2065243/4180043.pdf}},
  volume       = {{3}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}