Category:Conference Barcelona 2010

From DegrowthPedia.org

Event: Second international conference

Date and Place: 26-29 March 2010, Barcelona, Spain (Europe)

Organizers: Research & Degrowth, Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), and Ecologistas en Acción

Call

This is a call for a second conference on socially sustainable economic degrowth, linking economic, environmental and social perspectives with emphasis on practical policies & concrete proposals.

Thirty years ago, Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen published a book in French (edited by Jacques Grinevald and Ivo Rens) with the title "Demain la Décroissance" (Degrowth Tomorrow) (1979). We say, "Aujourd’hui la Décroissance" (Degrowth today). The economic crisis of 2008-09 brings a new perspective. Economic degrowth can be good for the environment but it must be socially sustainable.

The 2nd international conference on economic degrowth for ecological sustainability and social equity that will take place in Barcelona follows from the first international conference (Paris, April 2008), that took place with the support of the European Society for Ecological Economics, Club of Rome (Brussels/Europe), Telecom Sud-Paris and SERI (Sustainable Europe Research Institute) and was attended by 150 participants, involving presentations by some 90 scientists (see the declaration of the conference).

The second international conference on degrowth will develop clear policy proposals and strategies for action on degrowth and define the key open questions and research agenda. The conference will foster interaction between participants and put emphasis on the development of cooperative research.

This conference will follow a novel format. It will include selected keynote speeches and round-tables by distinguished degrowth scholars. The conference will however mainly be based on paper presentations with oral sessions, posters and working groups.

Commissioned steering papers from experts will be discussed in working groups and assembly meetings. The goal is to come up with concrete proposals for policy and action and with a research agenda for degrowth.

Objectives

Objectives of the Barcelona Degrowth conference include:

Create cooperative research around the topic of degrowth that brings together scientist from diverse backgrounds and civil society;
Elaborate, discuss and develop concrete policy proposals and research priorities in the areas of money, work, infrastructure, advertising, natural resources, housing, basic income and income ceiling and many others (see annexes);
Test a new model of organizing a conference, based on participative methods for the development of policies and research priorities around the topic of degrowth.

The Barcelona conference will result in the following:

A declaration based on the outcomes of the working groups including concrete proposals for policy action and research agenda for socially sustainable economic degrowth.
A publication with proceedings from the conference including scientific articles presented in the poster sessions, steering papers, working group results and statements.
Articles and special issues, published in scientific journals.
Press releases and public outreach.

Conclusion

From Friday 26 to Monday 29 March 2010 the Second International Degrowth Conference took place at the historic building of 'Universidad de Barcelona'. 500 scientists, civil society members and practitioners from more than 40 countries attended the conference.

More than 300 participants took part in working groups for degrowth political proposals and research. Stirring papers are available online in each working group section.

Around 80 posters were presented and 50 oral presentations were made.

The conference program, the list of the working groups and their driving questions, and other useful information are available on the website http://www.degrowth.eu/.