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Is eco-village/urban village the future of a degrowth society? An urban planner's perspective

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  • Xue, Jin

Abstract

In the degrowth literature, relocalization is widely considered as a strategic approach to transition to a degrowth society, and eco-village/urban village is argued to be the spatial organization suitable for implementing localism. These debates on eco-village/urban village as a vision for long-term sustainability have profound implications for the spatial development of our society. This paper aims to challenge this proposition from an urban planner's perspective by dwelling on spatial implications and planning process. It is argued that spatial decentralization can lead to various social and environmental consequences contradicting the multi-goals of a degrowth society. Localizing and decentralizing decision making in the planning process does not necessarily lead to a just and sustainable society. Instead, it is of importance to have multi-scalar strategies in the planning context to pursue degrowth. The paper concludes by pointing out the complex relation between paradigmatic societal transformation and spatial development, and the significant role that urban planning can play in the transition to degrowth.

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  • Xue, Jin, 2014. "Is eco-village/urban village the future of a degrowth society? An urban planner's perspective," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 130-138.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:105:y:2014:i:c:p:130-138
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2014.06.003
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    Cited by:

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    2. Lloveras, Javier & Marshall, Adam P. & Warnaby, Gary & Kalandides, Ares, 2021. "Mobilising Sense of Place for Degrowth? Lessons From Lancashire's Anti-fracking Activism," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    3. Ozge Yalciner Ercoskun & Anna Kajosaari & Alois Humer, 2025. "Ecovillages and Transition Towns: Practices of Sustainable Settlements in Urban and Rural Austria," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-26, January.
    4. William Otchere-Darko, 2023. "Scaling-up degrowth: Re-imagining institutional responses to climate change," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 60(7), pages 1316-1325, May.
    5. Kiss, Tibor & Kiss, Viktor Miklos, 2018. "Ecology-related resilience in urban planning – A complex approach for Pécs (Hungary)," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 160-170.
    6. Bauwens, Thomas & Hekkert, Marko & Kirchherr, Julian, 2020. "Circular futures: What Will They Look Like?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    7. Pueyo, Salvador, 2020. "Jevons' paradox and a tax on aviation to prevent the next pandemic," SocArXiv vb5q3, Center for Open Science.
    8. Federico Savini, 2021. "Towards an urban degrowth: Habitability, finity and polycentric autonomism," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 53(5), pages 1076-1095, August.
    9. Wojciech Kębłowski, 2023. "Degrowth is coming to town: What can it learn from critical perspectives on urban transport?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 60(7), pages 1249-1265, May.

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