An important campaign by the Greens/EFA to make train travel in Europe easier - one continent, one ticket act.greens-efa.eu/ticket/ - worth signing :-)
Milena Büchs 🌎🌻🐌
@mmbuchs.bsky.social
Professor of Sustainable Welfare, University of Leeds. Sustainable welfare, social-ecological policy, just transitions. Post-growth/wellbeing economics. Deep socio-economic transformation. Views my own.
First past the post electoral rule is designed for a two party system. When the party landscape becomes more diverse it creates devastating results like this which do not reflect the actual majorities on the ground...
Our new paper "Financing ‘sustainable welfare’: a critical review of the options" has now been published in New Political Economy. In it, @nicklangridge.bsky.social and I assess financing options for welfare without growth and discuss wider policy implications. It's open access: tinyurl.com/y6z374x6
Financing ‘sustainable welfare’: a critical review of the options
The literature on ‘sustainable welfare’ argues that meeting everyone's needs within planetary boundaries requires the financing of welfare to become independent from economic growth. However, it re...
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Looking forward to discussing these questions with you next week!
Oxford Social Policy and Intervention@dspi-oxford.bsky.social · 5mo ago🎓 Hilary Term Seminar Series | Upcoming Talk 🗓 5 March ⏰ 4-5:30pm 🎙 Prof Milena Büchs (University of Leeds) In this talk, @mmbuchs.bsky.social will challenge the view that growth is required to sustain welfare state funding, especially in a context of ageing societies. talks.ox.ac.uk/talks/id/884...
Wow, historic & makes my day. "Labour can't out-reform Reform" - if this isn't a lesson Labour will learn from then I don't know what is ... www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Green party wins Gorton and Denton byelection, pushing Labour to third place in blow to Keir Starmer
Hannah Spencer elected as party’s first MP in northern England, as Labour sees a 25.3% drop in vote compared to 2024
theguardian.com
📢 New publication on "Defining growth dependence" in Sustainability Science! 👉 Framework for defining growth dependence 👉 Application to labor markets, social insurance and public finance 👉 link.springer.com/article/10.1... #postgrowth #greentransition #degrowth #sustainability #justtransition
Defining growth dependence - Sustainability Science
Sustainability Science - Many socio-economic systems require positive economic growth rates to function properly. These growth dependencies pose serious challenges given uncertainty about future...
link.springer.com
📢Our new paper is out: "Doughnut economics, degrowth and decoloniality. New directions for the Doughnut Portrait method" shorturl.at/KHI6y led by #PaulChatterton & with #JoelMillward-Hopkins, #catrionarawsthorne & #AnishaSolanki
Doughnut economics, degrowth and decoloniality. New directions for the Doughnut Portrait method
Transformative action is required to respond to the polycrisis of our age, across climate/ecological breakdown and mounting social inequalities. Doughnut economics and its “Portrait of Place” metho...
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Quick reminder of our PhD position at Leeds Uni on justice and UK climate policies, application deadline 6 March 2026
Milena Büchs 🌎🌻🐌@mmbuchs.bsky.social · 7mo agoPhD position @ Uni Leeds on justice & UK climate policies shorturl.at/WNqiV supervised by myself and Dr @anneowen.bsky.social - pl consider applying / forwarding to potential candidates 🙏 Please note: only UK fees applicants will be eligible. Application deadline: 6 March 2026
Our review of the #justtransitions, #sustainablewelfare & #eco-socialpolicy literatures is now out, comparing views on growth & capitalism, work & welfare and global justice. wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... with @maxkoch.bsky.social @veratrappmann.bsky.social & Gina Moran
Perspectives on Social and Justice Issues in Climate Policy – Comparing the Just Transitions, Sustainable Welfare and Eco‐Social Policy Literatures
Mapping the Just Transitions, Sustainable Welfare and Eco-Social Policy Literatures along the axes of capitalism/growth approaches and global justice demonstrates that there is a large gap in researc...
wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Nice to start the week with publication of a co-authored review on #Justice Issues in #Climate Policy led by @mmbuchs.bsky.social. What are the sustainable #welfare and #JustTransitions literatures saying, e.g., on capitalism and growth? Check it out: wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Perspectives on Social and Justice Issues in Climate Policy – Comparing the Just Transitions, Sustainable Welfare and Eco‐Social Policy Literatures
Mapping the Just Transitions, Sustainable Welfare and Eco-Social Policy Literatures along the axes of capitalism/growth approaches and global justice demonstrates that there is a large gap in researc....
wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Very pleased to see that the Museum for Futures in Berlin has a whole section on Doughnut Economics!!! @kateraworth.bsky.social 🍩😀💕 #futurium
PhD position @ Uni Leeds on justice & UK climate policies shorturl.at/WNqiV supervised by myself and Dr @anneowen.bsky.social - pl consider applying / forwarding to potential candidates 🙏 Please note: only UK fees applicants will be eligible. Application deadline: 6 March 2026
Justice implications of the UK's net zero carbon policies
Project opportunity - Justice implications of the UK's net zero carbon policies at the University of Leeds
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It was great to discuss so many important ideas for eradicating poverty beyond growth at the EU Parliament event this week shorturl.at/k0kcG! Can't wait for Olivier de Schutter's @deschuttero.bsky.social roadmap being published in spring 2026 🙂
New Cronos3 survey shows that a majority of participants in all 11 countries agree that environmental protection is more important than economic growth and creating jobs! infra4nextgen.com/make-it-gree...
How can we move the #EU beyond its fixation on destructive GDP growth as the answer to #poverty? Join me @baseickhout.bsky.social @marietouss1.bsky.social @mmbuchs.bsky.social @drmariannaleite.bsky.social @chloemiko.bsky.social & others in Brussels/online www.beyond-growth-2023.eu/about-the-co...
Looking forward to discussing the immensely good and important report by UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights Olivier de Schutter on "Eradicating Poverty Beyond Growth" docs.un.org/en/A/HRC/56/61 at this event 🙂
ZOE Institute for Future-Fit Economies@zoe-institute.bsky.social · 8mo ago🔖 Tuesday 9 December, 19.00 CET ➡️ Beyond Growth Pathways for Eradicating Poverty in the EU We’re looking forward to picking up discussions on new economies fit for the 21st century at this debate in @europarl.europa.eu with @mmbuchs.bsky.social www.beyond-growth-2023.eu/about-the-co...
Meanwhile
Doug Parr@dougparr.bsky.social · 10mo agoUK food inflation is being driven by climate change-induced extreme weather, driving up price of butter, milk, beef, chocolate & coffee The price rises in those staples is contributing 40% of overall food inflation Climate change is hitting peoples' pockets, right now www.ft.com/content/ced8...
Loved the @boldpolitics.bsky.social episode with @graceblakeley.substack.com! Only comment it's so important not to equate degrowth / postgrowth with recession! DG/PG are non-capitalist economic systems which prioritise equitable wellbeing & ecological outcomes & make them independent from growth.
As usual, the media didn't pay much attention to the Green Party conference. But there is much to be inspired here - wealth taxes, ending privatisation of essential infrastructures and services, pro-migration and diversity, ecological protection ... Polanski fr. 18:40 www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZx9...
Leader's Speech - Zack Polanski at Green Party Conference 2025
YouTube video by Green Party of England & Wales
youtube.com
Ein von Michael Zürn und mir verfasster Nachruf auf Claus Offe. Ein bemerkenswerter Mensch und Wissenschaftler www.faz.net/aktuell/feui...
Sozialwissenschaftler Claus Offe gestorben
Claus Offe prägte die Sozialwissenschaften mit scharfsinnigen Analysen und gesellschaftskritischen Perspektiven. Als Grenzgänger zwischen Soziologie und Politologie bleibt sein Werk wegweisend.
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Claus Offe ist verstorben. In Erinnerung bleibt mir u.a. seine Begabung, den Kern komplexer Theorien und dicker Bücher in wenigen, leicht verständlichen Sätzen zusammenzufassen, seine die Welt erschließenden Vierfelder-Schemata und sein Gespür für die Paradoxien moderner Gesellschaften.
I'm deeply saddened by the news that Claus Offe has passed away. He had a profound influence on me as my PhD supervisor and I kept learning from him over the years. Thank you for everything and rest in peace!
Hertie School@hertieschool.bsky.social · 10mo agoThe Hertie School mourns the passing of Prof. Dr Dr h.c. Claus Offe, Professor Emeritus of Political Sociology, an extraordinary scholar, teacher and colleague. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and all who had the privilege to know him.
Here is our new piece in Lancet Planetary Health on the #WellbeingEconomy and public health, thanks to @gerrymccartney1.bsky.social for leading this :-)
Gerry McCartney@gerrymccartney1.bsky.social · 11mo ago1/5 We have published a new article in Lancet Public Health on how a transition to a #WellbeingEconomy might impact positively on population health tinyurl.com/yc4w9xbd @mmbuchs.bsky.social
It has arrived! First ideas for this project were already exchanged with @brisunipress.bsky.social at ESPAnet 2019 - but now it has become real! As hardcopy, but (thanks to generous funding by @uni-hamburg.de) also open access: policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/the-eco-soci...
There is now a petition against the UK gov's crazy airport expansion plans in case you'd like to sign too :-) petition.parliament.uk/petitions/71...
Petition: Stop airport expansion: halt all airport expansion plans across the UK
More than 20 airports across the UK have expansion plans, which will result in a combined increase of 60%+ capacity. More flights means more emissions, at a time when we should be doing everything we ...
petition.parliament.uk
I delivered the last @jcms-eu.bsky.social annual lecture, a arguing that #Europe needs to enter the #postgrowth era to come to grips with the #social-ecological crisis and its colonial legacy. I also outline a #sustainable #welfare deal for the EU #degrowth onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Europe in the Postgrowth Era: Towards a Sustainable Welfare Deal
Europe is confronted with a multiple crisis while coming to grips with its colonial legacy. Given the lack of empirical evidence for sufficient absolute decoupling of gross domestic product (GDP) gro...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Exciting fiction + climate change project by my former colleague @dabaden.bsky.social! Maybe of interest @aknighton.bsky.social?
Denise Baden@dabaden.bsky.social · last yr.I'm launching my new book via Kickstarter now. It follows a #moral #philosophy professor who uses a case study of a murder in a #citizensassembly on #climate to set #EthicalDilemmas for her students. The script version won the #writing climate pitchfest in 2024. www.kickstarter.com/projects/dab...
Last few days to apply for this amazing job working with me and the rest of the team
Carbon Brief@carbonbrief.org · last yr.#ClosingSoon ❗ ➡️ Do you know how to find, process and analyse data? ➡️ Can you spot opportunities to use data to inform topical talking points? ➡️ Do you want to contribute to accurate reporting of climate change and energy? Apply for the data analyst position here ➡️ https://buff.ly/4hfk2BD
I've written a letter to my MP expressing concern about airport expansion plans and the 'growth first' agenda. If you are in the UK and share these concerns feel free to personalise / amend and send to your MP too 🙂 shorturl.at/o08pG
Letter to MP against airport expansion public.docx
Dear [name of your MP], I am a voter in your constituency of [XXX] and am writing to express my deep concern and opposition to the government’s proposal to expand Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Leeds Bradf...
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