*[Enwl-eng] Yes to prosperity, no to economic growth
ENWLine
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Can the economy grow indefinitely? 238 scientists have a better idea, and we’re joining them. They’ve suggested 4 things the EU can do to secure the well-being of more of us, instead of mindlessly chasing “growth” which feeds the rich and destroys the planet. |
This petition was launched on our YouMove platform by the European Environmental Bureau. We think you might be interested in it.
Hi,
Growth, growth, growth - you probably recognise the mantra of politicians and economists all over the world. Yet, greedy growth neither creates welfare nor wellbeing for those who need it most. Instead, it makes the rich even richer and cooks the planet. Over the last four decades the 1% of the richest people captured over 25% of the world’s economic growth, while the average European has seen virtually no increase in their real income. [1]
Science says: prosperity without greedy growth is possible! Scientists are telling EU leaders that welfare for all can be chosen over growth for the super-rich. Join 238 economists in demanding that EU politicians vastly improve the distribution of wealth, rather than pursue greedy growth on a finite planet. [2]
Very soon, a major EU conference about “growth in transition” will take place in Vienna. It’s a flagship event for Austria’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union. At the conference, the scientists will give their letter about ending Europe’s growth dependency to Frans Timmermans, the second most important person in the European Commission. Timmermans wants to become the president of the European Commission next year. He has to know that Europeans won’t support him if he fails to defend our prosperity and commit to ditch the fetish of “growth”.
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Greedy growth doesn’t provide the kind of jobs people want. Greedy growth is pushing people and planet to burnout. We need to stop sacrificing the environment and people on the altar of GDP growth: stop destroying forests, polluting our land and water, lengthening working times and degrading social protections.
Solving social problems does not require more growth: even a slightly fairer distribution of the massive wealth we already have can double the income of the poorest 50% of the population by 2050. [3] More radical fairness could eradicate poverty altogether.
The scientists have come up with four immediate, concrete measures which can move Europe away from growth, and guarantee well-being, employment and stability for all of us. They have already been joined in their ask by EEB, the EU’s oldest and largest environmental non-governmental network, and a major trade union. Abandoning the fetish of growth at all cost is in the interest of everyone: from workers to environmentalists. Let Timmermans know that Europeans also want to leave it behind.
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The letter by 238 economists, natural and social scientists was published in dozens of media outlets across Europe, just one day before a historic meeting in the European Parliament. [4] Last month, no less than five different political groups organised a huge conference about how we can get to a positive post-growth future. It was there that the letter received the official support of ACV, the largest Belgian trade union with 1.7 million members, as well as of parliamentarians, environmentalists and youth groups.
In Vienna, we want Frans Timmermans to commit to the demands in the letter. With our signatures, the scientists, the environmentalists and the trade unionists will have an extra argument to convince him!
Our community has engaged in dozens of successful actions against corporations and governments to protect our shared environment and improve working conditions. But individual fights are not enough! We must force politicians to change their entire way of thinking about the economy and the environment. After all, there are no jobs on a dead planet.
Thank you!
Mika (Bordeaux), Marta (Warsaw), Alexandre (Marseille) and the entire WeMove.EU team
PS: Economic growth in Europe has been diminishing. If current trends continue, there may be no growth at all in Europe within a decade. To fuel growth at all costs, politicians issue more debt, shred environmental regulations, extend working hours, and cut social protections. The pursuit of growth divides society, destabilises economies, and undermines democracy. Tell politicians to pursue our well-being, not greedy growth: Sign now!
References:
[1]
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/12/inequality-is-rising-globally-and-soaring-in-the-u-s.html
[2]
List of signatures:
https://degrowth.org/2018/09/06/post-growth-open-letter/
[3]
Estimation for the global population:
https://wir2018.wid.world/part-5.html
[4] Media clippings:
https://degrowth.org/2018/09/06/post-growth-open-letter/
WeMove.EU is a citizens’ movement, campaigning for a better Europe; for a European Union committed to social and economic justice, environmental sustainability and citizen-led democracy. We are people from all walks of life, who call Europe our home whether we were born in Europe or elsewhere. To unsubscribe from WeMove.EU, please click here.
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