Potentials for prosperity without growth: Ecological sustainability, social inclusion and the quality of life in 38 countries
Fritz, Martin and Koch, Max LU
(2014)
In Ecological Economics
108.
p.191-199
- Abstract
- Recent contributions to ecological economics and related social sciences indicate that issues such as climate change, resource depletion and environmental degradation cannot be effectively addressed under conditions of continued economic growth. This paper aims at empirically identifying structural potentials and policy challenges for prosperity at scaleswhere economic development remainswithin ecological carrying capacities. Building
on the growing literature that interprets prosperity ‘beyond’ economic growth, the paper presents a threedimensional
concept to operationalise prosperity in terms of ecological sustainability, social inclusion, and the quality of life. These dimensions are measured using data from sources... (More) - Recent contributions to ecological economics and related social sciences indicate that issues such as climate change, resource depletion and environmental degradation cannot be effectively addressed under conditions of continued economic growth. This paper aims at empirically identifying structural potentials and policy challenges for prosperity at scaleswhere economic development remainswithin ecological carrying capacities. Building
on the growing literature that interprets prosperity ‘beyond’ economic growth, the paper presents a threedimensional
concept to operationalise prosperity in terms of ecological sustainability, social inclusion, and the quality of life. These dimensions are measured using data from sources such as TheWorld Bank, the Global Footprint Network and the OECD. The results of cluster and correspondence analyses indicate the existence of five
‘prosperity regimes’ and demonstrate that all aspects of prosperity – including (unsatisfactory) ecological performance – are linked to economic development. However, our findings also indicate that in order to achieve a decent minimum of prosperity moderate levels of the material living standard are sufficient. Further increases in the
material living standard do not lead to significant additional prosperity; instead they cause greater environmental harms. The paper concludes by highlighting potentials for prosperity for each of the ‘prosperity regimes’ and corresponding policy challenges. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/4739959
- author
- Fritz, Martin
and Koch, Max
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2014
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- wellbeing, social inclusion, ecological sustainability, prosperity, steady-state economy, GDP
- in
- Ecological Economics
- volume
- 108
- pages
- 191 - 199
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000347265900019
- scopus:84910068821
- ISSN
- 0921-8009
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2014.10.021
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 1c8fdc21-5d21-42b0-a666-277d96037778 (old id 4739959)
- alternative location
- http://authors.elsevier.com/a/1P~HA3Hb~026Lw
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 13:34:53
- date last changed
- 2025-02-27 16:45:40
@article{1c8fdc21-5d21-42b0-a666-277d96037778,
abstract = {{Recent contributions to ecological economics and related social sciences indicate that issues such as climate change, resource depletion and environmental degradation cannot be effectively addressed under conditions of continued economic growth. This paper aims at empirically identifying structural potentials and policy challenges for prosperity at scaleswhere economic development remainswithin ecological carrying capacities. Building<br/><br>
on the growing literature that interprets prosperity ‘beyond’ economic growth, the paper presents a threedimensional<br/><br>
concept to operationalise prosperity in terms of ecological sustainability, social inclusion, and the quality of life. These dimensions are measured using data from sources such as TheWorld Bank, the Global Footprint Network and the OECD. The results of cluster and correspondence analyses indicate the existence of five<br/><br>
‘prosperity regimes’ and demonstrate that all aspects of prosperity – including (unsatisfactory) ecological performance – are linked to economic development. However, our findings also indicate that in order to achieve a decent minimum of prosperity moderate levels of the material living standard are sufficient. Further increases in the<br/><br>
material living standard do not lead to significant additional prosperity; instead they cause greater environmental harms. The paper concludes by highlighting potentials for prosperity for each of the ‘prosperity regimes’ and corresponding policy challenges.}},
author = {{Fritz, Martin and Koch, Max}},
issn = {{0921-8009}},
keywords = {{wellbeing; social inclusion; ecological sustainability; prosperity; steady-state economy; GDP}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{191--199}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Ecological Economics}},
title = {{Potentials for prosperity without growth: Ecological sustainability, social inclusion and the quality of life in 38 countries}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2014.10.021}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.ecolecon.2014.10.021}},
volume = {{108}},
year = {{2014}},
}