What it is
Jason Hickel's 2020 book argues that capitalism's growth imperative is fundamentally incompatible with ecological stability. Drawing on anthropology, economics, and ecology, he makes the case that high-income nations need to scale down throughput while improving wellbeing. He proposes concrete policies: universal public services, working time reduction, and a shift from GDP to wellbeing metrics.
Why we picked this
This is the most compelling challenge to green growth orthodoxy. Whether you agree with degrowth or not, Hickel forces you to confront the math of infinite growth on a finite planet. It is an essential counterpoint to technology-optimist narratives and sharpens your thinking on what the transition actually requires.
Key takeaways
- The richest 10% of the global population is responsible for over 50% of consumption-based CO2 emissions, making equity central to any credible climate strategy.
- GDP growth in high-income countries has decoupled from wellbeing: life satisfaction, health outcomes, and social connection have stagnated or declined despite decades of growth.
- Hickel proposes a practical degrowth agenda including a 4-day work week, public luxury over private wealth, and measuring progress by ecological and social indicators rather than GDP.