REPLAY – Degrowth and the ecological limits of cities

The degrowth movement criticized the phenomenon of metropolisation and attractiveness. Cities have been the terrain where this culture of growth has been materialized. How to find a balance between territories and what alternative development should be promoted? What kind of urban planning/housing policies can contribute to the transition towards a city of degrowth?

In addition, numerous researchers argue that a resource that is not regulated by a common good will be regulated by price. How cities can therefore organize resources locally while meeting the basic needs of all? Who and how do we decide on the activities to maintain or to stop in a city?

Since uncontrolled consumption is at the core of the present culture of growth, challenging and changing such aspects is central to thinking about a city of degrowth. What are the levers cities can act on to challenge this culture of growth? Is the reduction of ads in public space a relevant answer?

For the #6 episod of the sufficient cities series, we discussed all these questions with:

• Tristan Riom municipal and metropolitan councillor in Nantes, in charge of building, energy and climate. Author of the blog post: “Attractiveness, the new enemy?” (https://energy-cities.eu/attractiveness-the-new-enemy/)  
• Miljenka Kuhar, senior expert at DOOR, a civil society organization in Croatia, in charge of the 9th International Degrowth Conference in Zagreb part of the Zagreb Degrowth Week (https://odrast.hr/)

Key moments of this webinar:

0:00 Why are we still obsessed by policies promoting economic growth?
7:49 How to define the concept of degrowth? What are the key principles?
16:51 How would cities look like in a degrowth society?
25:51 How to organize resources locally while meeting the basic needs of all?
32:18 What kind of urban planning and housing policies can contribute to the transition towards a city of degrowth?
41:40 What are the levers cities can act on to challenge this culture of growth? Is the reduction of ads in public space a relevant answer?