Recommended Degrowth Books

Kate Raworth's Doughnut Economics is a framework that rethinks traditional economic models by balancing human well-being and ecological sustainability.

The "doughnut" consists of two rings: the inner ring represents the social foundation (basic needs like food, water, healthcare, and education), while the outer ring represents the ecological ceiling (planetary boundaries such as climate change and biodiversity loss).

The goal is to operate within the "safe and just space" between these boundaries, ensuring prosperity for all without depleting the planet's resources.

Raworth challenges growth-driven economics, advocating for regenerative and distributive approaches that support long-term sustainability.

This book is a really comprehensive look at the historic issues that have been causing us these issues (capitalism mainly - but this isn't an anti-capitalist book) and tries to help frame them so we can understand exactly where we've gone wrong.

As well as providing this important historic context, Raworth then outlines her doughtnut framework, which had been shared in her line of work previously with Oxfam and has been shown to greatly help to ensure our social and environmental needs are covered when businesses are operating.

I found this to be an incredibly inspiring book because it seemed to actually give you (literally) the blueprint to start using if we as a society want to create a "thriving" world (Raworth is keen to avoid using the term degrowth because people wrongly assume it means a reduction in living standards).

This is a great book for anyone who wants a fairly gentle introduction to the reasons why we're in this mess, plus a practical tool to use going forward.  

Considered a classic by many in the degrowth and postgrowth space, I'd say Hickel's book is another must read. In this he focuses more on the history of capitalism, from the feudal movement through to encroachment and the law of the commons. I think this is important to understand why we're currently in the ecological and societal mess we find ourselves in.

Hickel argues that the pursuit of endless economic growth is driving ecological collapse and deepening inequality. He critiques capitalism's reliance on overconsumption and resource extraction, showing how it pushes humanity beyond planetary limits.

Similarly with Raworth, in this book Hickel wants us to shift away from GDP expansion toward an economy centered on well-being, equity, and ecological regeneration. He emphasises indigenous wisdom, circular economies, and post-capitalist models that prioritise sufficiency over excess.

This is at times a slightly difficult read, bearing the nature of the topic, but it's definitely on the must-read list as is Doughnut Economics. Hickel is a very active and respected voice in this space, and is also worth following on social media for his insights.