Principles for a post-growth scenario of ambitious mitigation and high human well-being

Most climate mitigation scenarios maintain inequalities and associate
favourable social and climate outcomes with continuing economic growth.
By contrast, post-growth scholarship advocates for reducing less-necessary
production, reorienting the economy towards human needs and ecological
goals, and pursuing equitable convergence within and between countries.
Here we synthesize recent advances in post-growth research into five core
principles: well-being, sufficiency, reduced inequalities, repurposing of the
economy and north–south convergence. Existing post-growth scenarios
tend to fall short of considering, let alone implementing, these key elements.
We assess feasibility barriers, finding that post-growth will face weaker
geophysical and technological constraints, but stronger socio-cultural
and political opposition, than growth-oriented scenarios. Advances in
post-growth research, alongside international calls for mitigation rooted
in fairness and equity, present a strong case for a holistic development of
post-growth scenarios.