“We have a finite environment—the planet. Anyone who thinks that you can have infinite growth in a finite environment is either a madman or an economist.”. - David Attenborough

To evolve our crafts as designers doesn’t matter if it’s embedded in systems of unsustainable growth. Whether growth and carbon can be decoupled is of heated debate, as well as questioning the GDP as a useful metric of success. This is a very incomplete set of resources that highlight a few of the major discussions on evolving business and economic frameworks.

Economic Frameworks

There are several alternative economic models out there in heated discussion with each other, including green growth, degrowth, and post growth. Green growth advocates for the decoupling of economic growth with environmental impact, degrowth advocates for the reduction of consumption while also improving quality of life, and post growth focuses on living within our planetary boundaries.

Green Growth

• Defining Green Growth - with Samuel Frankhauser

Degrowth

• Jason Hickle - An interview with the author of Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World

Post Growth

• Doughnut Economics - Kate Raworth’s economic theory is a visual framework for sustainable development – shaped like a doughnut or lifebelt – combining the concept of planetary boundaries with the complementary concept of social boundaries.

Common Ground

Proponents on both sides of the aisle agree that the current economic system is unsustainable. These are some great discussions on their common ground.

• Green growth vs degrowth: are we missing the point? - Article on the points of agreement within this economic discussion.
• How to Save the Planet: Degrowth vs Green Growth? - Wonderful talk between leading economists of the above theories, particularly as an example of respectful dialogue between opposing views.

Business Models

Applying the above economic models in practice is difficult in today’s economic systems. Contributions to this section are welcome!