Amsterdam Is Embracing a Radical New Economic Theory

[Tom 81]

Maybe a first step towards a resource-based economy? 

 

Amsterdam Is Embracing a Radical New Economic Theory to Help Save the Environment. Could It Also Replace Capitalism?

 

In April 2020, during the first wave of COVID-19, Amsterdam’s city government announced it would recover from the crisis, and avoid future ones, by embracing the theory of “doughnut economics.” Laid out by British economist Kate Raworth in a 2017 book, the theory argues that 20th century economic thinking is not equipped to deal with the 21st century reality of a planet teetering on the edge of climate breakdown. Instead of equating a growing GDP with a successful society, our goal should be to fit all of human life into what Raworth calls the “sweet spot” between the “social foundation,” where everyone has what they need to live a good life, and the “environmental ceiling.” By and large, people in rich countries are living above the environmental ceiling. Those in poorer countries often fall below the social foundation. The space in between: that’s the doughnut.

 

Amsterdam’s ambition is to bring all 872,000 residents inside the doughnut, ensuring everyone has access to a good quality of life, but without putting more pressure on the planet than is sustainable. Guided by Raworth’s organization, the Doughnut Economics Action Lab (DEAL), the city is introducing massive infrastructure projects, employment schemes and new policies for government contracts to that end. Meanwhile, some 400 local people and organizations have set up a network called the Amsterdam Doughnut Coalition—managed by Drouin— to run their own programs at a grassroots level.

 

It’s the first time a major city has attempted to put doughnut theory into action on a local level, but Amsterdam is not alone. Raworth says DEAL has received an avalanche of requests from municipal leaders and others seeking to build more resilient societies in the aftermath of COVID-19. Copenhagen’s city council majority decided to follow Amsterdam’s example in June, as did the Brussels region and the small city of Dunedin, New Zealand, in September, and Nanaimo, British Columbia, in December. In the U.S., Portland, Ore., is preparing to roll out its own version of the doughnut, and Austin may be close behind. The theory has won Raworth some high-profile fans; in November, Pope Francis endorsed her “fresh thinking,” while celebrated British naturalist Sir David Attenborough dedicated a chapter to the doughnut in his latest book, A Life on Our Planet, calling it “our species’ compass for the journey” to a sustainable future.

 

Read more at: https://time.com/5930093/amsterdam-doughnut-economics/

 

 

[Becca the Student 3,437]

Certainly sounds like it! How exciting!

[petra 11,084]

@Tom Thank you for posting!

I have close ties to The Netherlands, if you think of their situation, there is no other country that is more effected by Climate Change than them, the whole country (except for a few spots) is underneath sea level, they have to come up and grab a hold to ideas now, cause it is obvious that the world at large is still very slow in responding to a real threat.

They are an Old Soul Country, a unique place to live for sure in many ways, I wish their example takes hold in our World quickly!

[Tom 81]

Agreed, @petra!  I apply core reflection (a Dutch method of coaching teachers) in my work and, in my opinion, it seems old soul-ish in its style and application (at least when compared with what tends to be prioritized in education in the United States). 

[kees berg 83]

Cool! I also stumbled upon this development on time. 

 

Gonna order the book and study it more.

 

Funny I see it shared on the tle forum. 

 

True work is teaching about systems. 

 

This seems like a potential interesting one to study more about. 

 

Other cities in the world besides amsterdam are experimenting with this  

 

I live closeby to amsterdam so might give it a visit soon 

 

 

[petra 11,084]

The Netherlands surely have to embrace more radical changes, because of their unique location, and I am glad they move on it, not only because I have family and friends there, but also to be once again the pioneers they have shown to be in a lot of different ways, not always successful in all, but enough to have made a difference in a lot.

 

@kees berg  there are two other Michael Students here on TLE from the Netherlands, one from Amsterdam.

[kees berg 83]

@petra oh really, Shepherd asked me if i could help to get a workshop along in Amsterdam. So maybe those living closeby feel interested, let me know.

 

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[petra 11,084]

@kees berg  I am not sure of the two have an interest in Shepherd. They come regularly on the TLE-website though, so maybe they respond.