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Just Reproduction, Production and Consumption

Establishment of ecological upper limits

What's the problem?

If other climate-relevant factors such as nutrient cycles in the soil, the preservation of biodiversity and the oceans are taken into account, then the consumption of all natural resources must decrease, especially the consumption of non-renewable resources. It is already becoming apparent, however, that other resources are being overexploited in favour of reducing CO2 emissions. In order to prevent this, upper limits are needed for various ecological resources that have yet to be defined.

What's the measure?

  • Establishing binding emission upper-limits for CO2 and other natural resources (municipal, national, international) and effective sanctions for non-compliance. The upper-limits should include emissions and raw materials consumed in the manufacture of imported products.
  • If possible, leaving environmentally harmful and scarce raw materials in the soil (in Germany and worldwide) and completely recycle raw materials already extracted.

How can climate change be counteracted and how can economic conditions be created that support effective climate protection measures?

The measure ensures that CO2 emissions and the overuse of natural resources remain within an ecologically acceptable range.

How quickly can the measure be implemented?

Step by step from now on.

References to other measures

The measure can go hand in hand with an ecological tax reform  ({translationof orig_page="ökologischen Steuerreform" translation_lang="en" translation_page=""}), a basic and maximum income ( {translationof orig_page="Grund- und Maximaleinkommen" translation_lang="en" translation_page=""}), apart from this a social just service of general interest{translationof orig_page="sozial gerechten Daseinsfürsorge" translation_lang="en" translation_page=""},  reduction in working hours ({translationof orig_page="Arbeitszeitverkürzung" translation_lang="en" translation_page=""}), fostering of commons ({translationof orig_page="Förderung von Commons" translation_lang="en" translation_page=""}) and a supportive community {translationof orig_page="→ [https://wiki.gerechte1komma5.de/tiki-index.php?page=Glossar\#CARE-ARBEIT" translation_lang="en" translation_page=""} as well as a traffic and agriculture transition ({translationof orig_page="Verkehrs- und Landwirtschaftswende" translation_lang="en" translation_page=""}).

Problems of social, global and generational justice

The narrower the borders in the Global North are drawn, the more global justice; the narrower the borders are drawn today, the more generational justice. This must be flanked by measures that avoid social injustice.

Further literature and sources

  1. Schmelzer, Matthias & Vetter, Andrea (2019): Degrowth/Postwachstum zur Einführung.
  2. Research & Degrowth: Ye, We Can Prosper Without Growth (2015, abgerufen am 2.3.2020) https://degrowth.org/2015/05/15/yes-we-can-prosper-without-growth/
  3. Spektrum der Wissenschaft Verlagsgesellschaft mbH: Wie viel CO2 kann Deutschland noch ausstoßen? (abgerufen am 2.3.2020) https://scilogs.spektrum.de/klimalounge/wie-viel-co2-kann-deutschland-noch-ausstossen/
  4. Will Steffen et al.: Planetary boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet (abgerufen am 2.3.2020) https://science.sciencemag.org/content/347/6223/1259855
Yes, we can prosper without growth:

Matthias Schmelzer, Andrea Vetter, Degrowth/Postwachstum https://www.junius-verlag.de/buecher/degrowthpostwachstum

https://scilogs.spektrum.de/klimalounge/wie-viel-co2-kann-deutschland-noch-ausstossen/

Will Steffen et al.: Planetary boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet. In: Science. Band 347, Nr. 6223, 2015, doi:10.1126/science.1259855.