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Two scenarios for sustainable welfare: a framework for an eco-social contract

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  • Gough, Ian

Abstract

More nation states are now committing to zero net carbon by 2050 at the latest, which is encouraging, but none have faced up to the transformation of economies, societies and lives that this will entail. This article considers two scenarios for a fair transition to net zero, concentrating only on climate change, and discusses the implications for contemporary ‘welfare states’. The first is the Green New Deal framework coupled with a ‘social guarantee’. I argue that expanded public provision of essential goods and services would be a necessary component of this strategy. The second scenario goes further to counteract runaway private consumption by building a sufficiency economy with ceilings to income, wealth and consumption. This would require a further extension of state capacities and welfare state interventions. The article provides a framework for comparing and developing these two very different approaches.

Suggested Citation

  • Gough, Ian, 2022. "Two scenarios for sustainable welfare: a framework for an eco-social contract," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 111950, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:111950
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/111950/
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ian Gough, 2015. "Climate change and sustainable welfare: the centrality of human needs," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 39(5), pages 1191-1214.
    2. Felix Creutzig & Joyashree Roy & William F. Lamb & Inês M. L. Azevedo & Wändi Bruine de Bruin & Holger Dalkmann & Oreane Y. Edelenbosch & Frank W. Geels & Arnulf Grubler & Cameron Hepburn & Edgar G. H, 2018. "Towards demand-side solutions for mitigating climate change," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 8(4), pages 260-263, April.
    3. Gerlinde Verbist & Michael Förster & Maria Vaalavuo, 2012. "The Impact of Publicly Provided Services on the Distribution of Resources: Review of New Results and Methods," OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers 130, OECD Publishing.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kristian Kongshøj, 2023. "Social policy in a future of degrowth? Challenges for decommodification, commoning and public support," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Bärnthaler, Richard & Gough, Ian, 2023. "Provisioning for sufficiency: envisaging production corridors," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 119420, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Green New Deal; Universal Basic Services; sufficiency; floors; ceilings;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • N0 - Economic History - - General

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