Economy

As the last years have shown, technological progress and efficiency gains alone are not enough to achieve considerable reductions in our resource use and energy consumption. Relative savings in resource use due to efficiency increases are often offset and overcompensated by absolute increases in production and consumption levels. Therefore, policies for sustainable development must go beyond the promotion of efficiency gains –despite their importance.

We understand ecological economic policy as the sum of all economic and ecological policy measures which directly or indirectly dematerialise highly industrialised economies, without negatively affecting socio-economic goals. Such policy actions include, for example, environmental tax reforms, tradable permits for resources and emissions and redistribution of income and work. The balanced interaction of different environmental, social and economic policy measures is a crucial precondition for the successful transition of our economy and society towards a path of sustainability.

At the end of the day, the question is how to rearrange the economic system to achieve absolute reductions in our energy and resource consumption. To answer this question we develop sustainable economic and socio-political concepts and offer solution-oriented and holistic consultancy services. In our work, we highlight alternative and innovative economic strategies and ways of living which satisfy people’s needs with fewer resources. With our work we aim to support political decision-makers in their search for sustainable solutions.