The New International Financial and Economic Architecture (NIFEA) initiative will host an online conference on “Degrowth: Living Sufficiently and Sustainably” on 1 October, with a pair of two-hour sessions.

The conference will be a space to discuss and unpack various visions of “degrowth” or “post-growth” with a view to addressing the urgent eco-crisis and pandemic of inequality besetting the planet today.

“The climate emergency we are in is undoubtedly caused by an economy based on growth,” said Philip Vinod Peacock, WCRC acting general secretary for programmes. “If we are to move towards a sustainable future we need to find ways in which we can reverse this trend while at the same time providing equitable resources for people and the planet.”

Speakers will take the 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as a vital backdrop for reflection and aims to promote discussion towards developing a short ecumenical message directed to the G20 Leaders’ Summit taking place in Rome from 30-31 October on theme of “People, Planet, and Prosperity.”

Questions to be discussed include:

• How do we address the contradictions between modern society’s obsession with limitless economic growth and the ecological limits of our only planetary home?
• Are there models of the good life that meet the needs of all people, share wealth and power, whilst nurturing the environment?
• What resources do we have and what strategies can we employ as faith communities to empower a just and sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic as well as a just transition from a growth-oriented, extractivist economic paradigm to a life-affirming economy where all of God’s creation can flourish?

The first session, from 10:00 to 12:00 (CEST) will be moderated by Rogate Mshana and feature Lemaima Jennifer Vai’I, George Zachariah, Martin Kopp, Lalrindiki Ralte, and Rosario Guzman as speakers. A summary of the discussion will be brought by Peter Cruchley, Sivin Kit, Philip Peacock, Athena Peralta, and Bishop Rosemarie Wenner. Click here to register for this session.

The second session, from 14:00 to 16:00 (CEST) will be moderated by Gordon Cowans and feature Chebon Kernell, Arnie Saiki, Fundiswa Kobo, Priya Lukka, and Rozemarijn van’t Einde as speakers, followed by a summary by the same group as session one. Click here to register for this session.

The NIFEA initiative is organized by the Council for World Mission, Lutheran World Federation, World Communion of Reformed Churches, World Council of Churches, and World Methodist Council.

The WCRC’s participation in NIFEA is supported by funding from Otto per Mille.

Photo: Marcelo Schneider/WCC