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It has been said that, in the light of ecological overshoot, human civilization faces two future possibilities: a Great Decoupling or a Great Collapse. In this book, two distinct positions to achieve the Great Decoupling are critically evaluated: Green Growth and Degrowth. It is concluded that neither Green Growth nor Degrowth will be able to achieve the Great Decoupling. The possibility for society to collapse is then raised, with the potential for a civilizational rebound pondered. Whether collapse may be a feature, and not a bug, of the long-run evolution of complex civilization is discussed.
This book offers a thought-provoking and unique perspective on the economic and ecological challenges faced by modern societies. It will be relevant to students, researchers, and policymakers interested in environmental economics and economic policy.
1. Introduction
2. The Malthusians and the Cornucopians
3. What to Do About the Detritovores?
4. Green Growth
5. The Degrowth Movement: A Radical Political Project
6. Living in a Degrowth World
7. Collapse
8. Conclusion
Wim Naudé is Visiting Professor at RWTH Aachen University and Fellow at the ASC, University of Leiden
