Sufficiency (politics)

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In sustainability research , environmental and nature conservation policy, the term sufficiency (from the Latin sufficere , dt. Sufficient ) stands for efforts to minimize the consumption of raw materials and energy .

In the sustainability is discussion sufficiency often complementary (supplementary) to eco-efficiency and consistency seen. The term is used in the sense of the question of the right measure both in relation to self-limitation, abstinence from consumption or even asceticism , but also deceleration and the shedding of ballast . In all cases, it is about behavioral changes (especially) as a means of environmental protection - in contrast to technical environmental protection strategies such as increased energy and resource efficiency or the increased use of renewable resources (consistency).

term

The term was first used in German-speaking countries in 1993 by Wolfgang Sachs . In French it is equated with Sobriété économique and in English with Eco-Sufficiency . Sachs explained the term as follows:

“In fact, one can only approach a society that is compatible with nature on two legs: through an intelligent rationalization of means as well as through clever restriction of the goals. In other words: the "efficiency revolution" remains directionally blind if it is not accompanied by a "sufficiency revolution". "

- Wolfgang Sachs

Sachs defined sufficiency as slowing down , unbundling, de-commercialization and clearing out. Manfred Linz describes sufficiency as the question of the right measure and defines eco-sufficiency as a “way of life and economy that puts an end to the excessive consumption of goods and thus materials and energy” and thus flanks eco-efficiency and consistency. This can be achieved through a low demand for goods and services that require high resource consumption. The necessary rethinking is seen as more difficult than the adaptation of new technologies .

"Politically, sufficiency is much more delicate than the question of efficiency."

- Joachim Lohse , former managing director of the Öko-Institut

research

Sufficiency research questions which personal, social and political conditions stand in the way of an orientation towards moderate consumption and how these obstacles can be overcome. This includes how the consumer behavior of the throwaway society and the binding of prosperity understanding of material goods is changeable and what consequences moderation action in private households , companies and institutions for economic structure and economic growth has. The 2011 annual conference of the Association for Ecological Economy places sufficiency in the field of tension between happiness and renunciation.

Just like eco-efficiency, sufficiency is not free from rebound effects . A central open research question is the extent to which, in addition to technical measures (such as efficiency and consistency), effective environmental protection actually requires sufficiency. The threatening rebound effects primarily in terms of efficiency are an argument for the necessity of sufficiency, but also the extent of the problem in areas such as climate change, scarcity of resources or loss of biodiversity.

See also

literature

  • Manfred Linz: Sufficiency as a Political Practice . A catalog. 2015 ( wupperinst.org (PDF; 2619 kB)).
  • Felix Ekardt: Theory of Sustainability: Legal, ethical and political approaches - using the example of climate change, scarcity of resources and world trade . 2015.
  • Mark A. Burch: The Hidden Door . Mindful Sufficiency as an Alternative to Extinction. Simplicity Institute, Melbourne, 2013.
  • Uwe Schneidewind, Angelika Zahrnt: So that a good life becomes easier: Perspectives of a sufficiency policy . Oekom Verlag, 2013.
  • Of the right measure . Sufficiency as the key to greater happiness and environmental protection. Political Ecology No. 135, 2013.
  • Oliver Stengel: Sufficiency . The consumer society in the ecological crisis. oekom Verlag , 2011, ISBN 978-3-86581-280-3 ( wupperinst.org (PDF; 10,402 kB)).
  • Konrad Ott et al: Sufficiency: Environmental Ethics and Lifestyle Issues . In: Thinking ahead - Ecology and Society 2 . Heinrich Böll Foundation, 2007 ( boell.de (PDF; 141 kB)).
  • Thomas Princen: The Logic of Sufficiency . MIT Press, Cambridge, 2005.
  • Manfred Linz: Neither shortage nor excess: about sufficiency and sufficiency research . In: Wuppertal Institute . 2004 ( econstor.eu (PDF; 319 kB)).
  • Wolfgang Sachs: The four E's: Points to remember for a moderate economic style . In: Wuppertal Institute . 1993 ( wupperinst.org (PDF; 172 kB)).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Joseph Huber: Sustainable development through sufficiency, efficiency and consistency . In: Peter Fritz et al. (Ed.): Sustainability from a natural and social science perspective . Stuttgart, S. 31-46 .
  2. ↑ a b Manfred Linz: Neither shortage nor excess: about sufficiency and sufficiency research . In: Wuppertal Institute . 2004 ( online [PDF]).
  3. ↑ Niko Paech : Sustainability and climate policy: burst soap bubble. Technology or the CO2 tax do not solve the climate problem. The ecological emergency calls for a readjustment of personal freedoms. The daily newspaper , July 28, 2019, accessed on July 28, 2019 .
  4. ↑ Niko Paech, Björn Paech: Sufficiency plus subsistence results in economic sovereignty. City and post-growth economy . In: Political Ecology . No. 124 , 2011, pp. 54-60 .
  5. ↑ Gerhard Scherhorn : Beyond efficiency: Eco-efficiency fails if it is not combined with sufficiency , accessed on October 14, 2011
  6. ↑ a b Wolfgang Sachs : The four E's: Memo items for a moderate economic style . In: Political Ecology . No. 33 , 1993, pp. 69-72 .
  7. ↑ a b c Manfred Linz: wupperinst.org ( Memento from September 24, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
  8. ↑ cf. z. B. growthimwandel.at
  9. ↑ Kai Biermann : Climate Change: The V-Word. In: The time . June 22, 2007, accessed October 14, 2011 .
  10. ↑ Anniversary Conference 2011 : "Sufficiency: Renunciation or Luck !?" on the VÖÖ website, accessed on October 14, 2011
  11. ^ Blake Alcott , The sufficiency strategy: Would rich-world frugality lower environmental impact? ( Memento of October 7, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 461 kB). Ecological Economics 64 (2007), No. 4. Pages 770-786