Degrowth in the context of sustainability transitions: In search of a common ground

Abstract

The aim of this article is to study how the sustainability transitions analytical framework can help to make other concepts of sustainable socio-economic development more specific and operational. Specifically, we investigate the linkages between sustainability transitions and degrowth. Based on a literature review of both degrowth and sustainability transitions, we distinguish several aspects that provide a common ground for both approaches. We identify degrowth as one of the most far-reaching forms of sustainability transitions but suggest that it would benefit from a more stringent conceptualization using the analytical framework of sustainability transitions. To this end, we apply some conceptual notions from sustainability transitions theory to describe the idea of a degrowth transition. In particular, we analyze two case studies of degrowth practices (Cargonomia and a Transition Towns network) using the analytical framework of transition experiments. Sustainability transitions analytical frameworks and conceptual notions proved to be helpful interpretative lenses for looking at degrowth, and they can help to systematically structure its main postulates.