The science behind the case for postgrowth or degrowth has grown rapidly in the past decade. Members of the European Parliament from 6 political groups will now use this science to challenge European Policymakers at a major postgrowth conference on 18 and 19 September. The EEB is one of the co-organisers and the driving forcé behind two session: on Beyond GDP Growth and on Trade vs Climate.
The European Commission was co-host of the Beyond GDP conference in 2007, and produced the EU Road Map “GDP and beyond: Measuring progress in a changing world” (2009). What happened to it? What are better benchmarks than GDP and who should measure what matters? Host MEP Helmut Scholz invited co-founder of SDG-Watch Leida Rijnhout, author Christian Felber, Greek Minister for Labour Efi Achtsióglou, Patrick ten Brink, Director of EU Policy at the EEB and Joost Koorte, Director General of DG EMPL at the European Commission.
The Trade vs Climate session comes in the context of a warning cry to humanity by 20.000 scientists said that the Earth’s biosphere is on the brink of collapse. There is both an environmental and a social necessity to move beyond ever growing global trade flows that fuel both overextraction and overconsumption. If Trump starts a trade war with Europe, why not retaliate with trade tariffs based on the carbon intensity of US exports? Host MEP Kathleen van Brempt invited former UN rapporteur Olivier de Schutter, expert Fritz Hinterberger, Patrizia Heidegger, Director of Global Policies at the EEB and someone from the cabinet of Cecilia Malmström, DG TRADE at the European Commission (name to be confirmed)
You may still be able to join the conference. Registration is compulsory.
If it’s full, follow the debates at the webstream and ask questions here (code: #D387)
#PostGrowth2018