European Newsletter - June'24

After the success of the first European newsletter, we continue with a new edition with updates that happened during the month of May, future events and other two IDN European associations. Enjoy the read!

Table of contents

Highlights during May'24

Beyond growth Austria

From the 13th to the 15th of May the Beyond Growth Conference Austria took place in Vienna, inspired by the 2023 conference in Brussels. Various actors, from the organizations Degrowth Vienna, Global 2000, Umweltdachverband and Doughnut Wien, decided to collaborate on this project and bring Degrowth to the Austrian Parliament and media. Additionally, there was political support from  the Green and Socialist party, who hosted the opening ceremony. But, as expected, there are forces who want to prevent Degrowth from becoming a more present part of the political debate in Austria.                   

The three guiding questions Why? - How? - Who? structured the topics for each day and enabled ‘newcomers’ to the topic to keep up with them. Everyday there were panel discussions with experts, accompanied by enthusiastic contributions from the audience. In a smaller, more personal group setting all participants could jointly discuss solutions in focus rounds concerning trade, labor, money and society. Those rounds made it possible to have more de facto inclusion and participation, which was very much appreciated by the attendees, according to some feedback. The results from those rounds were collected everyday, built upon in the day after and are going to be a crucial part in the final harvesting report. One could tell that from an organizational perspective, “practice what you preach” was taken very seriously: intersectional perspectives among the speakers, sustainable catering, democratic participation and a non-profit orientation were consciously implemented, to name a few.

One of Degrowth Vienna’s members Christian Hüttmann spoke at the panel discussion about needs. Chris represented the solution of orienting our economy after universal basic needs, by realizing universal basic services through not only governmental, but also civic or associational institutions and mechanisms.

All panels were recorded and streamed, here is the link for German speakers interested in watching it.

Picture 1: One of the focus rounds

Picture 2: Panel about needs, featuring a member of Degrowth Vienna Christian Hüttmann

Picture 3: Attendees having a coffee break

Copyright: maro87c/GLOBAL2000

Beyond growth Italy

In last month’s newsletter we promised a reflection on the Beyond Growth Conference Italia that took place in Rome on 19th and 20th of April. Now that almost a month has passed since the event, we propose some points of reflections on how it went. The articulation of the event over two days, the first one with politicians and academics, the second one with social movements, reflected the tension between the academic and institutional realm, and the engagement on the ground, which is in fact a characteristic of the degrowth movement in its various configurations and geographic locations, as well as the willingness to bridge this gap on the part of (many of) its supporters.  

As degrowth “entered the Parliament”, one wonders whether it has a real space, or it is an ephemeral presence, limited to the few hours of the event. And if it really has a space, whether it is open and participatory, or merely a formal exercise of democracy, by politicians, academics, and those citizens who have the opportunity to devote time to attend a conference. Regarding the receptibility of degrowth demands by members of the Parliament, we hope that a process has begun that can lead to the initiation of a fruitful dialogue. Deputy Luana Zanella of Green Europe, who was the host of the event, was present throughout the proceedings, and at the end declared that she would commit herself to building a parliamentary intergroup on post-growth/degrowth, one of the key goals of the Conference. However, no concrete steps in this direction have been taken to date.

The second day was titled "Beyond Growth, Beyond the Palace", precisely to indicate the desire to insert the discussions held during the afternoon in Parliament into the reality of social movements. The day was hosted by the City of the Other Economy (CAE), a venue for promoting economic practices with low environmental impact and that promote equity over profit. In this context, the goal was to create a space open to all, particularly to realities akin to degrowth, in order to create synergies, and strengthen those already existing, between the degrowth movement and all those realities engaged in the struggle for climate, environmental and social justice from a decolonial, transfeminist and anti-capitalist perspective.

The challenge before us, after this experience, is to continue to nurture the energy and synergy generated, amplifying the scope and transformative potential, so that degrowth can contribute to the pluriverse of imaginaries for an eco-social transition and to orient the various instances presented in this sense.

The Beyond Growth Blog, and Beyond Growth Italy Communication Team  

On occasion of the Beyond Growth Conference, a team was set up to create a blog for the website of the event, that included articles covering a wide range of topics related to degrowth. In the aftermath of the Conference, this group has gained new forces and showed willingness to continue its communication endeavor. They have formed a Beyond Growth communication team that also collaborates with the two Italian Degrowth movements, Associazione Decrescita and the Movimento per la Decrescita Felice (about which you can find more information below). They publish weekly articles that you can find on the News section of the Conference’s website, alongside Instagram posts shared through the profile of Associazione Decrescita. The aim of the group, especially through social media, is to make accessible content about degrowth themes, to reach both people and collectives that are already engaged in similar struggles, and the general public.

If you would like to join, write to: comunicazione@decrescita.it

Upcoming events

Featuring our associations

Degrowth Vienna, Austria

What are the main objectives of the group? 

Degrowth Vienna’s objective as a collective is introducing the degrowth perspective into political and societal discourse around responses to the multiple crises in international academic discourses, political spaces and organizations/institutions in Vienna. 

Where are you active geographically? (country/cities): 

Mostly in Vienna, Austria, but we also give workshops at conferences and festivals outside of Vienna. And we have many international members. 

Since when have you been active? 

We have been active since 2018. Our first project has been the Degrowth Vienna 2020 Conference. 

How many members are you? 

We have close to thirty members, of which about ten are currently more active.

How are you organized? 

Degrowth Vienna is broadly composed of three groups: active members, supporting members and the advisory board. We are currently in the process of restructuring. 

Main events/actions carried out: 

Degrowth Vienna 2020 Conference, Degrowth Days, Publication of the book “Degrowth and Strategy”, Beyond Growth Conference Austria 2024

Plans for the future: 

We are currently working on our next publication about Degrowth and Universal Basic Services.  

Links to social media/website: 

Connections with IDN: 

Nino Gamsjäger and Christian Hüttmann

Group photo:

Movimento decrescita Felice - MDF, Italy

What are the main objectives of the group?

We are a plural and interconnected community of activists, practitioners, researchers, engaged in the themes of Degrowth and, more broadly, a community of all people sharing ideas, values and practices of the organization. We envision and work toward a world of social justice and environmental sustainability, driven by interdependent, collaborative and inclusive communities and networks. We research and promote SYSTEMIC CHANGE towards NEW PARADIGMS that are collaborative and oriented towards well-being. 

Where are you active geographically? (country/cities)

Located in Italy, this is a nationwide group with local groups in the following cities: Alba, Brescia, Cagliari, Cuneo, Lucca, Milano, Muggia, Padova, Livenza-Tagliamento, Roma, Salerno, Torino, Venezia, Verona.

Since when have you been active? 

The organization MDF was first created formally in 2007.

How many members are you? 

In last years the number of members was around 350 – 400.

How are you organized?

We are a registered association in Italy, and members are volunteers. The association has a national council, and it is diffused on territory through local groups. Every year we meet in a national assembly where we practice conviviality, discuss our activities, plan future strategies, meet and exchange good practices. We are organized geographically in local groups and transversally in thematic working groups (Bike Tour, Communication, Education, International, Spirituality, Territorial Development, Transition).

Main events/actions carried out

During the last year, the main activities carried out at the national level were:

  • Co-organization of the Conference Beyond Growth Italia 2024

  • Organizing a regional Bike Tour every summer since 2015, to meet local communities and organisations

  • Editing and publishing “Virgilia e la decrescita felice” a comic book to explain Degrowth

  • Organizing a Festival of small independent editors

  • Participating in IDN

  • Preparing materials on how to talk about degrowth in schools

  • Organizing webinars on transition

Local groups organize many events and activities, such as: self-production, repair days, community gardening, km0 markets, movie/docu screenings, swap parties, talks on Degrowth, convivial activities.

Plans for the future

Next projects foreseen at the national level are:

  • Presentation of a research on Degrowth in the imaginary and practices in the Italian context, conducted with Associazione Decrescita, at the International Assembly of the Degrowth Movement in Pontevedra

  • Organization the Bike Tour 2024

  • Participation in the organization of the Licheni Festival

  • Definition a new communication strategy

  • Organization of webinars on Degrowth and feminism

  • Support to existent and new local groups

  • Creation and consolidation of alliances with other Italian organisations

Links to social media/website:

Connections with IDN: 

Marta Domini

Group photo:

National Assembly 2024, Rome, IT

National Assembly 2024, Rome, IT