EU Sustainable Prosperity Policy Database

Overview

Our policy database provides a coherent structure of transformative policy proposals from the academic literature that can help shape sustainable prosperity and move economies into the Doughnut. It aims to help policymakers comprehend what policy instruments are suitable to promote a sustainable and inclusive transformation structured along various policy areas. 

Why use it?

1. Link the Doughnut to policymaking
2. Discover what policies can help you achieve different objectives in the doughnut
3. learn about what it means to become agnostic about GDP.

Who is it for?

policymakers, consultants, trainers

How long does it take?

flexible

How many people is it for?

as many as possible

Links

Click here to access the policy database.
Click here to debunk arguments in support of economic growth.

Background

Today’s ecological and socio-economic challenges threaten the long-term stability and resilience of European society. Even though the magnitude of these challenges is broadly acknowledged, political efforts to properly tackle them remain insufficient. To move Europe into the “safe and just space for humanity”, innovative policy approaches are required.

In fact, these policy approaches must equally address social, ecological and economic goals in a coherent manner and help overcome the primacy of economic growth as a policy goal. However, due to the perception that economic growth is essential to ensuring employment, tackling fiscal debt and achieving higher incomes and levels of well-being, this is easier said than done. Not only does policy have to focus on a wider set of objectives, it also has to liberate economic and political stability from its structural dependency on economic growth. In this way, policymakers are enabled to freely choose among different means to achieve political ends, rather than relying on one specific aspect like economic growth.

However, a consistent synthesis of policies seeking to overcome the existing growth imperatives and shape a sustainable and thriving European and global economy is currently missing. Researchers have put forward a multitude of proposals. However, the practical application of these proposals entails several challenges related to the interconnectedness, coherence and concretion of policies as well as their level of implementation by government.

This project aims to fill this gap. Our policy framework provides a coherent structure of policy proposals from the academic literature that can help shape sustainable prosperity. In doing so, the project aims to help policymakers comprehend what policy instruments are suitable to promote transformative actions and, in doing so, contribute to political objectives.