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Post-growth perspectives: Sustainable development based on efficiency and on sufficiency

Author

Listed:
  • Rudi Kurz

    (Pforzheim Business School, Pforzheim, Germany)

Abstract

With the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement the general idea of sustainable development has been transformed into a policy concept with well-defined goals, indicators for measurement and an implementation process. To reduce environmental impact (e.g. on climate, SDG 13) two basic options are available: efficiency and sufficiency. Eco-efficiency (less environmental impact per unit of GDP) still plays the most important role and has the potential to delink economic growth and environmental impact. Growth could continue (green growth). However, rates of efficiency increase are not (yet) large enough to comply with e.g. climate goals - and efficiency increase is (partly) compensated by rebound effects. Therefore, greater emphasis on the sufficiency option (lower GDP) is necessary, i.e. consumption patterns and lifestyles will have to change; in macro-economic terms: economic growth (in rich countries) will have to end. This has significant consequences for the transformation of economies and societies and for government policies, which have been dominated by growth policy. Nevertheless, given the ambitious environmental (climate) goals and the only small effects of efficiency strategies, strengthening of the sufficiency option is inevitable. Only with policy concepts that integrate the efficiency and sufficiency components is there a chance to fulfill environmental SDGs - which are the foundation for many other SDGs.

Suggested Citation

  • Rudi Kurz, 2019. "Post-growth perspectives: Sustainable development based on efficiency and on sufficiency," Public Sector Economics, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 43(4), pages 401-422.
    • Handle: RePEc:ipf:psejou:v:43:y:2019:i:4:p:401-422
    DOI: 10.3326/pse.43.4.4
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Robert J. Gordon, 2016. "The Rise and Fall of American Growth: The U.S. Standard of Living since the Civil War," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 10544, December.
    2. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
    3. Bruno S. Frey, 2008. "Happiness: A Revolution in Economics," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262062771, December.
    4. Easterlin, Richard A., 1995. "Will raising the incomes of all increase the happiness of all?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 35-47, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Suter, Manuel & Rabaa, Simon & Essl, Andrea, 2025. "The benefits of less: The effect of sufficiency gain framing on sufficiency behavior," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    2. Rémi Beulque & Helen Micheaux & Joël Ntsondé & Franck Aggeri & Chloé Steux, 2023. "Sufficiency-based circular business models: An established retailers’ perspective," Post-Print hal-04391545, HAL.
    3. Rémi Beulque & Helen Micheaux & Marcus Bergmann, 2024. "Policy Instruments to Upscale Electronic Products Repair Business Models. A Financial Approach," Post-Print hal-04642945, HAL.
    4. Jan Delhey & Stephanie Hess & Christian Schneickert, 2026. "Which Life Makes You Happy? The Satisfaction Dividend of the Prosperous, the Exciting, the Cozy, and the Sustainable Life," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 27(2), pages 1-28, February.
    5. Savin, Ivan & van den Bergh, Jeroen, 2024. "Reviewing studies of degrowth: Are claims matched by data, methods and policy analysis?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    6. Papob Jeerat & Phutthisun Kruekum & Phahol Sakkatat & Nakarate Rungkawat & Saisakul Fongmul, 2022. "Developing a Model for Building Farmers’ Beliefs in the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy to Accommodate Sustainable Agricultural Practices in the Highlands of Chiang Mai Province, Thailand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-16, December.

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    JEL classification:

    • B52 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Historical; Institutional; Evolutionary; Modern Monetary Theory;
    • D01 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Behavior: Underlying Principles
    • E23 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Production
    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights
    • O44 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Environment and Growth
    • P18 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Energy; Environment
    • Q01 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Sustainable Development
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming

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