ESCP ALUMNI magazine - #204 - Novembre 2023 - 45

Campus ❙ École
Campus ❙ Brèves
Post-growth scholarship has evolved and
diversified in a variety of perspectives that
can fall into two main categories: degrowth
and agrowth:
Within the broader post-growth framework,
degrowth stands as a pronounced stance,
criticising capitalism and advocating for a deliberate
and equitable reduction in material
consumption and economic activity in high-income
countries to achieve more sustainable
and socially just societies.
Agrowth instead represents the idea of growth
agnosticism. The central point is that progress
should not be judged solely through GDP
due to its inadequacy in reflecting societal
well-being. Instead, policymakers should be
neutral about economic growth as it could
yield both positive or negative outcomes for
the environment or social goals. In this sense,
agrowth can be interpreted as a middle-ground
position situated between the green growth
and degrowth paradigms.
Both agrowth and degrowth can be considered
as shades of green growth scepticism, falling
within the overarching post-growth framework.
Varying shades of green growth scepticism
The survey of 789 climate policy researchers
carried out by a team of researchers from the
Institute of Environmental Science and Technology,
ESCP Business School, Ural Federal
University and University of Malaga reveals that:
73% of the 764 surveyed researchers indicated
options - agrowth or degrowth - preferable to
the green growth one, but there are notable
differences in the degree of scepticism depending
on the country and on the research discipline
of the researchers surveyed.
86% of the researchers from the European
Union for instance, expressed very high levels
of scepticism about green growth, while North
American researchers are less likely to hold
degrowth positions compared to those from
other OECD countries.
In contrast, more than half of the researchers
from non-OECD countries, most importantly
BRICS, expressed views supporting a green
growth position.
Social scientists, excluding economists, are
the most sceptical of green growth, while on
the other hand environmental and other economists
expressed the strongest preference
for green growth.
Climate policy researchers with a degrowth
position tend to support direct regulation
(standards, quotas, bans) while green growth
proponents support innovation subsidies
Pre-master students engaged in the Climate Fresk
In september, our Pre-master students
attended the annual " Designing Tomorrow:
#Business and #Sustainability " seminar. It was
a dynamic week filled with insightful activities.
After a warm welcome from their professors,
led by Aurélien Acquier, students engaged
in the Climate Fresk. This showcased their
creativity by designing impactful titles, which
are now displayed across our new Champerret
campus. The following day featured exciting
events, starting with the C-UP Case. In
this scenario, students took on roles within a
fashion company facing a factory crisis. They
deliberated on strategies, changes, and
communication methods. Our guest speakers
this year shared their expertise and invaluable
experience with our students. Roman Petibon
presented his documentary series #PauletteRoulePourLaPlanete,
exploring sustainable
innovations in Europe. Sophie Robert-Velut,
CEO of Laboratoires Expanscience, discussed
tough business decisions in pursuit of sustainability.
Professor Joe Miemczyk and sustainability
manager Laetitia Langlois presented
the school's sustainability initiatives and goals.
The event concluded with intimate discussions
between students and sustainability
professionals, offering valuable insights into
the field. Students also reflected on specific
questions posed by each speaker, gaining
practical experience. After these enlightening
days, our students now prepare for their
upcoming controversy analysis. Stay tuned for
more details!
As income and welfare indicators rise among
the respondents, there is a growing belief in
the post-growth notion. To simplify, these
researchers argue that beyond a certain point,
prioritising GDP is misguided as the social and
environmental costs of pursuing further growth
may exceed the benefits. " We also found that
climate policy researchers with a degrowth position
tend to support direct regulation (standards,
quotas, bans) while green growth proponents
support innovation subsidies. It is worth studying
if countries have systemic differences in their
policy implementation depending on their
income level, " Ivan Savin explains.
The paper shows that green growth scepticism
is more prevalent among researchers in high-income
countries than might be expected from
its extensive institutional and political support,
supporting the notion that as national income
rises, environmental goals prevail over economic
growth. " This finding underscores the importance
of considering alternative post-growth
perspectives, including agrowth and degrowth
strategies, to cultivate a more comprehensive
discourse on sustainable development strategies, "
the authors add.
Authors : Lewis C. King, Ivan Savin and Stefan
Drews
ESCP Alumni Magazine numéro 204 ❙ NOVEMBRE 2023
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45
ESCP ALUMNI magazine - #204 - Novembre 2023

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