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Updated: Jun 29, 2025
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Watershed Planning within a Quantitative Scenario Analysis Framework
Published on: July 24, 2016
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Cities, planetary boundaries, and degrowth
Jakub Kronenberg1, Erik Andersson2, Thomas Elmqvist3
1Social-Ecological Systems Analysis Lab, Faculty of Economics and Sociology, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland; Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
The Lancet. Planetary Health
|April 5, 2024
Summary
Degrowth offers a path for cities to respect planetary boundaries by reducing resource use and reconnecting people with nature. This approach is vital for ensuring a sustainable urban planet within ecological limits.
Area of Science:
- Urban Studies
- Environmental Science
- Sustainability
Background:
- Cities drive economic growth but exceed environmental limits, impacting planetary health.
- Urbanization and telecoupled systems externalize environmental impacts and disconnect people from nature.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the role of degrowth in aligning urban areas with planetary boundaries.
- To propose research and policy directions for a sustainable urban future.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of degrowth principles applied to urban contexts.
- Examination of the relationship between urban lifestyles, resource consumption, and ecological capacity.
Main Results:
- Degrowth necessitates connecting planetary boundaries with urban planning and resource distribution.
- It involves reducing production/consumption, fostering human-nature connections, and integrating nature into urban design.
Conclusions:
- A radical transformation towards degrowth in cities is essential for humanity to remain within a safe operating space.
- Degrowth addresses resource use, power dynamics, and ecological integration beyond market-based solutions.
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