Degrowth, zero growth and slow growth at Higher Level: This page looks at the environment through the lens of economics. It explains why ecological economists want high-income countries to plan to produce and consume less, with France's laws against throwaway goods as the main example.
Practise this as you read
- Distinguish between degrowth, zero growth and slow growth.
- Explain why the goal is a footprint within biocapacity.
- Discuss a planned reduction in consumption in high-income countries.
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Three ways to stop growing too much: ecological economics says an economy cannot grow for ever on a finite planet. It supports degrowth, zero growth or slow growth.
Degrowth, zero growth, slow growth
- Ecological economics sees the economy as a subsystem of the biosphere: it cannot grow for ever.
- Degrowth: a planned reduction in production and consumption.
- Zero growth: the economy stops growing and stays the same size (a steady state).
- Slow growth: the economy still grows, but slowly.
- All three aim at the same goal: an economy that fits within nature's limits.
Real example: the economist Herman Daly described a steady-state economy in 1977: the same number of people and the same stock of goods, with materials and energy used no faster than nature can renew them.
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The goal is to balance a country's ecological footprint with its biocapacity. Today the world takes far more than nature can renew.
The goal: footprint within biocapacity
- The goal of ecological economics: ecological footprint = biocapacity.
- When footprint is larger than biocapacity, natural capital is used up: unsustainable.
- Humanity uses about 1.8 Earths; Earth Overshoot Day 2025 was 24 July.
- Growth that raises the footprint makes the overshoot worse.
- So the economy must stop growing in what it takes from nature, or shrink.
Remember it as: Take no more than nature can give back.
Ecological economists ask for cuts particularly in high-income countries. The reason is who uses most.
Why high-income countries first
- High-income countries have the biggest footprints: the USA's way of life would need about 5 Earths.
- The richest 10% of people cause about half of consumption emissions.
- Low-income countries still need growth to meet basic needs: food, water, homes, health.
- So cuts should come first and most in rich countries, leaving room for poorer ones to grow.
- This is also a question of fairness (environmental justice).
High-income countries
- Footprint far above biocapacity
- Basic needs already met
- Plan to consume and produce less
Low-income countries
- Footprint often within biocapacity
- Basic needs not yet met
- Still need growth for food, homes, health
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In his book 'Less is More' (2020), the economist Jason Hickel set out how a planned reduction could work in rich countries.
What a planned reduction looks like
- Cut less-needed production first: SUVs, fast fashion, private jets, constant new gadgets.
- End planned obsolescence: goods built to last and be repaired.
- Shorter working week: the same work shared, so fewer jobs are lost.
- Public services for all (transport, health, housing), so people need less income to live well.
- It is planned and fair, not a sudden crash.
2015
- Planned obsolescence became an offence.
2021
- Phones, laptops and televisions must show a repair score out of 10 when sold.
2022
- Brands may no longer destroy unsold clothes and goods; a bonus cuts repair prices.
Result
- Goods last longer, so fewer are made and bought: less material and energy used.
Critics say less production would hurt jobs and incomes. Supporters answer that degrowth is planned and shared, unlike a recession.
The arguments against, and the reply
- Less production can mean lost jobs and lower tax income for schools and hospitals.
- Debts and pensions are planned on the hope of growth.
- It is politically hard: few voters choose to consume less.
- Technocentrics say decoupling and new technology make it unnecessary.
- Supporters reply: a planned reduction is not a recession.
Unplanned falls: 2009 and 2020: World emissions fell after the 2008 financial crisis and by about 5-7% in the 2020 pandemic. But millions lost their jobs, and emissions rose again as soon as growth came back. A crash is not degrowth.
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How it could come up: No paper has asked this statement on its own yet; May 2026 HL Paper 2 named zero growth in a [9] on economic models. Expect Section B (a) outline [4], an essay [9] on growth, or a Paper 1 'through the lens of economics' [6].
In his book 'Less is More' (2020), Jason Hickel argues that rich countries should plan to produce and consume less.
Outline four features of degrowth as proposed by ecological economists.
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