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Matt Orsagh's avatar

Well said and I agree Jack. I just saw the chart in Peter’s book and thought it was ripe for a blog showing the math about how Degrowth can help with climate.

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Jack Santa Barbara's avatar

While these are helpful mental exercises to give us a picture of the challenges we face, it is important to keep in mind that GHG emissions account for approx 60% of overshoot. Reducing GHGs is not the only challenge we have. The other 40% involves other demands we place on natural sources and sinks. Degrowth is about not only reducing GHGs, but all forms of energy. The more energy we use (regardless of source) the more ecosystem disruption we create. And if we reduce energy use, then we automatically reduce our demands on nature. What we have to learn is how to extract the most wellbeing per joule - make every expenditure of energy contribute directly to meeting basic needs for everyone. It is possible to live well with considerably less energy. We are both wasteful of energy, and we use energy for things that do not contribute to basic needs, yet basic needs (both material and non-material) are the basis of wellbeing and general life satisfaction.

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