Notes on the Transformative Potential of the Social Economy

Transformative Potential of the Social Economy

  • Presentation Context: Focus on how the social economy can drive environmental protection and address climate change.

The Promise of the Social Economy

  • Contribution to Green Transition:

    • Develops sustainable practices, goods, and services (circular economy, organic agriculture, renewable energy).

    • Increases acceptability of behavioral changes for climate mitigation.

    • Inclusive solutions addressing those most affected by the green transition (like reskilling workers).

    • Job creation in eco-friendly sectors addressing local community needs.

The Problem

  • Planetary Limits:

    • "There is no Planet B" - a reminder of the Earth's finite resources.

    • Economic activities put immense pressure on ecological systems.

Key Environmental Challenges

  • Critical Environmental Issues Not Quantified:

    • Atmospheric aerosol loading, chemical pollution.

    • Biodiversity loss and climate change related to:

    • Ocean acidification, stratospheric ozone layer depletion.

    • The Ecological Ceiling: Establishing boundaries for ecological sustainability.

    • Social Foundation: Essential for societal well-being (e.g., education, equality).

The Challenge of Sustainability

  • Sustainability Strands:

    • Three Strategies: Efficiency, consistency, sufficiency.

    • Three Pillars: Ecological, economic, social.

  • Key Questions on Sustainability:

    1. What about sufficiency and degrowth?

    2. Do efficiency increases adequately solve environmental problems?

    3. Can energy transitions alter capital's destructive logic?

    4. Do efficiency and consistency ensure social sustainability?

The Disembedded Economy

  • Economic Structure: Market economy vs. economy with markets (Polanyi).

    • Socially disembedded, where relationships become commodified.

    • Limits economic growth to competition.

Re-embedding the Economy

  • Ecological Challenges:

    • Simplification of diverse economies accelerates growth without regard for sustainability.

  • Dis-和 Re-embedded Economies:

    • Emphasis on social relationships over mere transactions.

Cooperative as a Social Form

  • Principles of Cooperation:

    • Support of member interests.

    • Democratic decision-making encourages environmental consciousness.

  • Importance of Organizational Democracy: Critical for member engagement and ecological outcomes.

Research Insights

  • Systemic Approach: Critical for sustainable consumption and production.

  • Hypotheses:

    1. Re-embedding in production allows for holistic transformation.

    2. Organizational democracy is crucial for sustainability.

    3. Cooperatives hold significant transformative potential.

Gaps in Current Research

  • Limitations: Focus mainly on exploratory studies; lack of quantitative data on environmental impacts.

  • Variation Across Sectors: Some areas like energy and agriculture are researched more than others.

Impact and Features of Social Economy Entities

  • Benefits:

    • Promotion of renewable energy.

    • Mitigating waste production.

    • Protecting vulnerable populations from climate impacts.

Summary of Findings

  • Social Economy's Collective Benefits:

    • Creates environmental and social value; addresses gaps conventional businesses overlook.

    • Need for clearer conceptual frameworks and quantitative measures.

Case Studies: Successful Examples

  1. Enercoop (France): Cooperative focused on renewable energy, ensuring community involvement and democratic decision-making.

  2. Um's Egg (Austria): Multi-stakeholder cooperative ensuring sustainable food systems while promoting social cohesion.

Findings and Hypotheses on Environmental Impact

  • Common Good Orientation:

    • Non-capitalist goals support adaptive economies.

  • Solidarity:

    • Facilitates consumer and producer cooperation for sustainable practices.

  • Democracy:

    • Encourages members to express joint ecological interests, enhancing broader societal changes.

Conclusion and Future Directions

  • Potential of Social Economies:

    • Cooperative paradigms offer tools for ecological and social transformation.

    • Continuous support and research are essential to maximize these potentials.

  • Call for Movement Building: Emphasizes the power of collective action in establishing an economy that serves both people and nature.

Workshop

  • Genossenschaften funktionieren nur durch Kommunikation.

  • Konsumenten wollen billig konsumieren, Bauern wollen teuer verkaufen.

  • Genossenschaften funktionieren nur durch aktive Nutzer*innen.

  • nicht nur grün-alternativ und bio denken.

  • was sind die vorteile von demokratisierung

    • versorgungssicherheit

    • arbeitsplatzsicherheit.

    • stabilität & langlebigkeit

  • was sind vorteile von organising prozesse, wer sind die akteure.

Kleingruppenarbeit:

konkretes Problemfeld bearbeiten.

würde demokratisierung eine verbesserung meines arbeitsplatz