Working towards a Wellbeing Economy that goes Beyond Growth
Do you, or does your organisation have the the courage to look beyond growth economics? How can we ensure that the necessary social changes can come about in order to achieve maximum mitigation from the climate and ecological collapse that is now unfolding? The Wellbeing Economy Alliance is forging alliances between organisations keen to focus on wellbeing rather than GDP growth. They do not necessarily endorse the radical suggestions covered in these pages; Poems for Parliament is working to extend the boundaries of our thinking and strategy.
The categories suggested below are designed to inspire individuals, groups, and communities to move beyond growth economics; and instead to encourage a global economy that seeks to redeem the global ecological debt. Readers are encouraged to drill-down on the topics that are of interest to them, to learn how they, or the group that they represent, can contribute to the ongoing collective envisioning process. The broad project categories are described below, drill-down to learn more.
Raising Ambition
When an organisation claims to be ‘net zero’, this is meaningless unless every member of staff lives a net-zero lifestyle.
Raising Awareness
Projects that raise public awareness about ecological overshoot and the insights from I=PAT and the Jevons paradox, are key to raising public understanding that growth economics degrades our environment.
Emotional Evolution and Altered Expectations
Projects that inspire both global and local interconnectedness will strengthen understanding. Eliminating global ecological overshoot and inequality will soon be perceived as a necessity for self-preservation. In this way personal priorities will change dramatically.
Ecological Ethics
All public services come with a high ecological cost, this is one of the reasons that a relatively poor person living in an affluent country will still have a high ecological footprint. Projects relating to scaling down and altering expectations from public institutions are key to devolving the responsibility for long-term survival to local communities.
Building Community Resilience
Projects that empower a community to detach itself from its dependence on the state, by sharing resources and skills in a manner that minimises ecological footprint will help to relieve the reliance on the state, and foster more realistic expectations and plans for the future.
Universal Basic Provision – Connecting the Affluent and the Afflicted
A huge transformation in the interpretation of what ‘meaningful work’ involves is envisaged. Any projects that will facilitate the basic provisions that people will need whilst this upheaval in the workplace takes place are very helpful. Also projects that deliver sustenance in areas that are already crippled by climate and ecological collapse will alleviate suffering and stem the flow of climate and economic migrants.
Advocating for a UN Charter for Ecological Justice
All the broad project-categories mentioned below pertain to the concept of ecological justice that is outlined in the social science paper ‘Scientists Warning proposes a Roadmap to Ecological Justice‘. If you would like assistance developing a project based on these ideas please contact Barbara Williams through email bw@poemsforparliament.uk.