Social well-being within planetary boundaries : the precautionary post-growth approach : partial report for the "approaches to resource conservation in the context of post-growth concepts” project / by Ulrich Petschow, Dr. Steffen Lange, David Hofmann (Institut für ökologische Wirtschaftsforschung [Institute for Ecological Economic Research] (IÖW), Berlin), Dr. Eugen Pissarskoi (Universität Tübingen, Internationales Zentrum für Ethik in den Wissenschaften [University of Tübingen, International Center for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities] (IZEW), formerly IÖW, Tübingen), Dr. Nils aus dem Moore, Thorben Korfhage, Annekathrin Schoofs (RWI – Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung [RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research], Berlin) ; with contributions from Prof. Dr. Hermann Ott (ClientEarth, formerly Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie [Wuppertal Institute], Wuppertal) ; commissioned by the Federal Environment Agency ; study performed by: Institute for Ecological Economic Research (IÖW), RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research, Wuppertal Institute ; edited by: Section I 1.1 - Fundamental Questions, Sustainability Strategies and Scenarios, Resource Conservation Daniel Eichhorn

Abstract

What relevance does economic growth have for achieving environmental policy goals? The report analyzes the arguments of various positions in this discourse and formulates an ideal-type "precautionary post-growth position". It also presents causes of economic growth and identifies social areas whose function could depend on economic growth. Furthermore, reform proposals are discussed to reduce this dependence on growth. The report shows the complexity of the growth debate and provides impulses for the public dispute on how social welfare can be realized within planetary boundaries.