European Newsletter - Oct'24

We are very delighted to present you with a new newsletter showing some hightlighted events around the continent and featuring another degrowth association: GreenFormation from Hungary.

Highlights during previous month Sep'24

Portugal:

  • 2nd-6th Sep: X International Congress of Agroecology* 

 https://events.ipv.pt/xcia/en/home-uk/ - external link 

"400 people took part in the Congress from 24 countries and 3 continents and shared a common vison: the world's agroecologies are united in facing the global crises and participants are committed to continue the journey together for agroecology, strengthening their networks until 2026 at the XI International Congress of Agroecology which will take place in Mozambique."

  • 21st Sep: Feminismos e Decrescimento (Feminisms and Degrowth)

 https://www.decrescimento.pt/events/feminismos-decrescimento-coimbra/ - external link  

After a welcome by Filipa Alves from Casa da Esquina, Hans Eickhoff gave an introduction to degrowth and the Portuguese Degrowth Network. Graça Rojão moderated the conversation with Djamila Andrade ( https://ces.uc.pt/en/doutoramentos/doutorandos-as/djamila-andrade - external link ), ecofeminist and researcher at the Center for Social Studies at the University of Coimbra, and Joacine Katar Moreira, intersectional feminist and former member of parliament ( https://independent.academia.edu/JoacineKatarMoreira - external link ). The afternoon workshop focused on integrating feminist and degrowth perspectives into local organizations and social movements.

Denmark:

  • 21st-22nd Sep: Degrowth Festival in Copenhagen

https://kulturhusetislandsbrygge.kk.dk/program/degrowth-festival-2024 - external link 

Italy:

France: 

Upcoming events

Spain:

Online:

  • Saturday 5th October.  10am - 1pm CEST.  Reclaiming Community Practices:  From Fashion Industry to Fashion Commons. Please register for free, via this link - external link.

This People’s Assembly aims to engage stakeholders, practitioners and concerned members of the public in participatory and democratic decision-making. We will explore how a transformation from industry to commons might look for Europe, understanding this cannot happen without solidarity with the global south. 

    Germany

    • 26th October. Berlin. Growing out of Growth (GooG) Festival 

    Website: https://growingoutofgrowth.org/ - external link  

    Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/goog_berlin/ - external link 

        France: 

        • Beyond Growth conference.  November at the Sénat (Contact: contact@projet-decroissance.net)

        Featuring our associations

        GreenFormation - Hungary

        What are the main objectives of the group? 

        We consist of dedicated individuals with a diverse background ranging from ecology through economy and policy to geography. We focus on biodiversity, the well-being of society, sufficient energy use, socio-economic transition and transformation as well as behavior change. 

        For this we carry out research, we measure impacts, we provide advice and we do projects. We involve multiple stakeholders, we build dialogues and bridges. We bring experience and networks from both Western and Eastern Europe.

        Where are you active geographically? (country/cities)

        Europe-wide, but we are located in Budapest. 

        Since when have you been active? 2023 January

        How many members are you? Currently, we have only one employee, but from next year on due to our Horizon projects (including one degrowth related), we will expand to 6 employees. 

        How are you organized?: We are a tiny consultancy firm, with three women founders, where everyone has the same voice to make decisions. 

        Main events/actions carried out: 

        Understanding individual and institutional choices and behaviour, will help understand how our society steers for an (un)sustainable future. In light of this, we carry out ground-breaking research on biodiversity and behaviour to drive social transition and transformation within sectors and society. We identify policy entry points and leverage points at various levels and advocate for just transition and societal change will induce transformation. We aim to contribute to a network of transformation scientists and practitioners EU-wide focusing on climate and biodiversity issues through international projects.

        Furthermore, we have been carrying out research and advocated for sufficient energy use at UN and EU level for almost 20 years. We analyse the national household energy use of Central and Eastern European countries. We raise the energy sufficiency profiles of international organizations and projects focusing on alleviating energy poverty. We have evaluated national and international energy related programmes from an energy sufficiency point of view. We have developed and disseminated an interactive, awareness raising game towards the needed socio-economic transformation (www.decarbonisegame.com). 

        Currently, using the experience of the Hungarian Degrowth Doughnut development, GreenFormation contributes to the work of the Corvinus University of Budapest in creating Budapest’s Degrowth Doughnut in a participatory way. Our goal is to use this framework to analyse the capital’s potential in ecological and social sustainability transition. The analysis reveals gaps, strengths, unexploited opportunities, and correlations between individual indicators. The outcome of the participatory Degrowth Doughnut model development is to provide directions for the municipality on how to move towards social and ecological sustainability.

        Plans for the future: 

        Within one Horizon project, we aim to understand how interventions can drive systemic change and transformation for biodiversity and equity, by offering concrete policy recommendations. We will contribute to analyse social, economic, and political processes, map existing approaches, assess their transformative potential, and develop, test and assess interventions to be taken up by policies to address biodiversity loss and equity. Through the realised case studies (spanning from using digital apps through commons governance to degrowth models), organised workshops, and conducted (social science) experiments, we will work collaboratively with a range of participants. Additionally, we will foster collaboration with key networks and across a range of domains to amplify its impact.

        Furthermore, we aim to work further on Degrowth Doughnut development for other municipalities beside the Hungarian capital, while monitoring Budapest model proper implementation. 

        Links to social media/website: 

        Connections with IDN: GreenFormation is a member of the IDN and has nominated one representative, @veronika.gf , that collaborates in the European Circle, as well as in the Research Working Group Circles. 

        Group photo: