A groundbreaking study suggests that providing good lives for the entire world’s population is possible while simultaneously reducing environmental impact. The research, published in World Development Perspectives, challenges the notion that massive economic growth is necessary to end global poverty and improve living standards.
Rethinking Global Development Strategies
The study, conducted by researchers from the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) and the London School of Economics and Political Science, presents a radical reimagining of global development strategies.
Currently, about 80% of the world’s population lives below the threshold for “decent living,” lacking access to essential goods and services. Conventional wisdom suggests that addressing this issue would require enormous economic growth, potentially exacerbating climate change and ecological breakdown.
However, the new research paints a different picture. According to the study, providing decent living standards for 8.5 billion people would require only 30% of current global resource and energy use. This would include access to nutritious food, modern housing, high-quality healthcare, education, electricity, and other essentials, as well as recreational facilities and public goods.
Jason Hickel, a researcher from ICTA-UAB and the UAB Department of Anthropology, explains: “If human well-being is the objective, it is not GDP (aggregate production in market prices) that matters, but whether people have access to the specific goods and services they need to live good lives. We need to distinguish between what is important for human well-being and what is not.”
Targeted Production and Resource Allocation
The study proposes a shift away from pursuing capitalist growth and increased aggregate production. Instead, it suggests focusing on specific forms of production necessary to improve capabilities and meet human needs at a high standard. This approach involves ensuring universal access to key goods and services through public provisioning and decommodification.
For the Global South, this means using industrial policy to increase economic sovereignty, develop industrial capacity, and organize production around human well-being. In high-income countries, the strategy involves scaling down less-necessary production, such as luxury items and fast fashion, to enable faster decarbonization and reduce resource use.
The researchers argue that the standard development strategy of increasing aggregate economic growth is inefficient at achieving human development. In the current economy, capital is invested in what is most profitable rather than what is most necessary for human development. As a result, poverty may persist or even increase despite economic growth.
Dylan Sullivan, co-author from ICTA-UAB and Macquarie University, adds: “This research shows a post-growth economy could ensure universal access to the benefits of industrialization, all while leaving a substantial surplus of energy and resources for recreation, public luxury, and technological advancement. It’s really exciting to think about what we could do with this surplus, what kind of modernity we want to build.”
Why it matters: This research challenges long-held assumptions about global development and offers a potential solution to the seemingly intractable problem of poverty without compromising environmental sustainability. By proposing a more targeted approach to production and resource allocation, it suggests a path forward that could improve lives globally while staying within planetary boundaries.
The study’s findings have significant implications for policymakers, economists, and development experts worldwide. If implemented, these strategies could lead to a more equitable distribution of resources and a higher quality of life for billions of people, all while reducing the strain on our planet’s ecosystems.
As the world grapples with the dual challenges of poverty and climate change, this research provides a compelling argument for rethinking our approach to global development. It suggests that by focusing on human needs rather than aggregate economic growth, we can create a more sustainable and equitable future for all.
The next steps will likely involve further research to test these theories in real-world scenarios and develop practical implementation strategies. As governments and international organizations continue to work towards sustainable development goals, this study may provide valuable insights to guide future policies and initiatives.
