Sufficiency and transformation–A semi-systematic literature review of notions of social change in different concepts of sufficiency

Abstract

Sufficiency is an indispensable strategy for sustainable development that is gaining growing attention in both the scientific and the political sphere. Nevertheless, the question of how sufficiency-oriented social change can be shaped by different actors remains unclear. There are many different concepts of sufficiency and all of them entail certain notions of social change. However, these notions of social change remain mostly implicit. By conducting a semi-systematic literature review on sufficiency and transformation, this article makes explicit notions of social change in various concepts of sufficiency. Additionally, these notions are structured and discussed concerning their possible contribution to a broader socio-ecological transformation to advance the debate about sufficiency-oriented strategies. The literature was sampled by a systematic search in the databases of Web of Science and the ENOUGH-Network, a European network of sufficiency researchers, and complemented by texts known to the author. In total 133 articles, books and book chapters were reviewed. The sufficiency concepts were analyzed regarding two dimensions: the goal of and the approach toward social change. Various ecological and sometimes social goals that different concepts of sufficiency pursue were identified. Some scholars operationalize the social and ecological goals in a sufficiency-specific way as consumption corridors or a pathway toward a post-growth economy. Furthermore, three different approaches to sufficiency-oriented social change were identified: a bottom-up-approach, a policy-making-approach and a social-movement-approach. Specific contributions and limitations of these approaches were identified. The three approaches differ regarding the role of conflicts and the conceptualization of behavior and social practices. By interpreting the results utilizing the Multi-Level-Perspective of Sustainability Transition Research and Erik O. Wright's transformation theory, synergies for sufficiency-oriented social change were identified. The review founds a theoretical basis for further empirical and theoretical research on shaping sufficiency-oriented social change.

Towards an inclusive sufficiency narrative

“…Sufficiency refers to a sense of "enoughness", both from the perspective of having enough and not too much (Lage, 2022). From an ecological perspective, sufficiency can define a maximum level of consumption that is environmentally sustainable, but it also needs to consider historical and cultural contexts (Sandberg, 2021).…”

Epochal turns: Uncomfortable insights, uncertain outlooks

“…That in turn requires changes on the production side (no more fast fashion, fast furniture and so forth, instead durable, upgradable and repairable products), pricing systems (progressive instead of degressive prices: ‘pay three, get two’), infrastructure (service and repair), and social practices (buying less but better, wasting resources becoming stigmatised). Reducing private consumption, with sufficiency (another word for frugal abundance) instead of resource squandering will require the establishment of opportunity spaces through public sufficiency policies (Jungell‐Michelsson & Heikkurinen, 2022; Lage, 2022; Sandberg, 2021). However, with less production, most probably incomes will decrease, and it becomes ever more challenging to convince people that less consumption is the right thing in a moment when consumption reduction is economically and painfully forced upon them. Distributional challenges will be mounting—if overall production and incomes are declining, who will get what remains, which pieces of the smaller cake?…”

Uncovering rebound effects of sufficiency-oriented product-service systems: a systematic review

“…Rebound can even take the form of backfire, i.e., equal to or more than 100% rebound, meaning that all initial savings are (more than) offset by indirect effects (Saunders, 2000). Rebound effects triggered by efficiency and effectiveness have often been cited as argumentation in favor of sufficiency, particularly within degrowth research (Lorek & Spangenberg, 2019;Schröter et al, 2017); however, sufficiency strategies introduced in isolation within market economies structurally dependent on economic growth risk giving rise to sufficiency RE (Nørgård & Xue, 2017;Lage, 2022). For example, a sufficiency-led decrease in demand leads to lower overall market prices, producing a 'sufficiency shock' which attracts consumers who are not consuming sufficiently, ultimately driving demand (Alcott, 2010).…”