What is the Doughnut?
An introduction to the concept at the heart of Doughnut Economics
Version 1.0 (September 2020)
Overview
This tool is an introduction to the concept at the heart of Doughnut Economics. It's been designed as both a document that can be shared and a presentation that can be given in a classroom, a workshop or a meeting. Either download it as a pdf (below), open it within Google drive (links below) or scroll down to read on this page.
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What is the Doughnut?
Think of it as a compass for human prosperity in the 21st century, whose goal is to meet the needs of all people within the means of the planet.
It consists of two concentric rings:
- A social foundation – to ensure that no one is left falling short on life’s essentials.
- An ecological ceiling – to ensure that humanity does not collectively overshoot planetary boundaries.
Between these two boundaries lies a doughnut-shaped space that is both ecologically safe and socially just – a space in which humanity can thrive.
The essence of the Doughnut
1. The social foundation – below which lies critical human deprivation
2. The ecological ceiling – beyond which lies critical planetary degradation
These two boundaries are foundational in the sense that humanity should always seek to avoid critical human deprivation and critical planetary degradation. But how best to define their specific dimensions and measure their current status relative to desired outcomes will keep evolving over time.
The Doughnut’s dimensions
(as of 2017)
The Social Foundation
The 12 dimensions of the social foundation are derived from the social priorities agreed in the Sustainable Development Goals (UN, 2015).
The Ecological Ceiling
The 9 dimensions of the ecological ceiling are the nine planetary boundaries defined by Earth-system scientists (Steffen et al., 2015).
Quantifying the Doughnut
The image below reveals the current state of humanity and our planetary home: think of it as humanity’s ‘selfie’ in the early days of the 21st century.
Each dimension is measured, where possible, with 1 or 2 indicators, and the red wedges show the extent of shortfall and overshoot of the Doughnut’s social and planetary boundaries.
It shows us that millions of people still fall short on all 12 of the social dimensions, and that humanity has already overshot at least four planetary boundaries (air pollution and chemical pollution are currently unquantified).
To achieve the 21st century goal of meeting the needs of all within the means of the living planet means eliminating all of the red from the Doughnut diagram, and this must be done from both sides at the same time.
Find out more
- Explore the dimensions of the social foundation and ecological ceiling
- Explore the selection of these dimensions, including their limitations
- Read chapter one of Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist
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Gabriel Ramirez Acevedo
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands
A Colombian living in the Netherlands, interested in international development, economics, social impact, and good stories. Currently working at the Political Science department of the University of Amsterdam and as a board member of the Expertise Centre Humanitarian Communication.
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Roman Mesicek
Vienna, Wien, Austria
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Will Hutchison
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Dan Staples
York, England, United Kingdom
I'm a husband and Dad to two boys aged 8 and 10. I live in the city of York. I work as a coordinator for a UK charity whose mission is to improve children’s educational outcomes and social development by introducing them to the game of chess.
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Aditya Jamwal
Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, India
I have a bachelor's in the sciences and a master's in economics. I have acquired knowledge in fields like economics, statistics, and mathematics. With the knowledge I've gained throughout my education and past life experiences, I'm currently looking for a place where I can fit in. I'm a passionate individual ready to work with kind, like-minded individuals, gain knowledge from their experiences, and give back to society.
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Eileen Murphy
Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Deutschland
Professor of Supply Chain Management and International Trade at the University of Applied Sciences in Stralsund, Germany.
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Nora Clinton
Cowes, England, United Kingdom
Hi, My name is Nora. I live on the Isle of Wight (UK) and am interested in making change in my local community using the Doughnut approach. I worked for 5 years in the space of circular economy and now work with policy makers at University College London in driving innovation towards the great challenges of our times (climate change, cancer etc). Looking forward to being part of this community!
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Samir Aurora
Austin, Texas, United States of America
I am just a dude determined to do my part in bringing about a more sustainable and, by extension, more humane structure of social and economic organization. Restricting ourselves from engaging in the harmful/wasteful practices of the past won't inhibit our ingenuity; it will only enhance it.
