Strong sustainable consumption governance – precondition for a degrowth path?

Abstract

"This paper aims to link two debates and literatures at the cutting edge of sustainable development research and governance: sustainable consumption and degrowth. Interestingly, these literatures have only recently started to exchange and integrate insights, despite their similar interest in the fundamental systemic challenges to sustainable development arising from a political discourse favoring (green) growth and the recognition of the insufficiency of technological solutions. The paper argues that this lack of connection is due to a predominance of perspectives in sustainable consumption research and governance that fail to deliver as promised. These perspectives, which we summarize under the label of "weak consumption" perspectives, focus almost exclusively on questions of efficiency gains. They therefore are not able to address the challenges to sustainable development arising from overconsumption in general or the rebound effect in particular. In contrast, a strong sustainable consumption perspective provides a basis for both, a promising inquiry into the linkages between consumption and sustainable development and fruitful exchange with de-growth. It is based on an inquiry into levels and patterns of consumption and thereby allows the delineation of relevant scientific and political implications for the de-growth debate and literature." [author's abstract]