The No-Growth Imperative: Creating Sustainable Communities under Ecological Limits to Growth
'Gabor Zovanyi, an urban planner, persuasively demolishes the temporizing evasions of managed growth, balanced growth, smart growth, green growth, etc., and logically demonstrates the imperative of no-growth. Many ideas and strategies for implementing no-growth at the local level are insightfully discussed. Well referenced and highly recommended!'–Herman Daly, Professor Emeritus, University of Maryland'This book is an outstanding resource for community leaders and activists seeking to move beyond the endless growth model and towards greater stability and sustainability.'–Eben Fodor, urban planner'As the era of exponential economic growth comes to its end, societies are experiencing extraordinary levels of stress. Planners should be at the forefront of this inevitable historic shift, and this clear, well-argued book points the way. It could hardly be more timely.'–Richard Heinberg, Post Carbon Institute"Gabor Zovanyi is a professor on a practical mission who makes a crucial contribution by describing in detail the characteristics of sustainable communities.The No-Growth Imperativewill be read by sustainability scholars and students far and wide, but it is a must-read for the mayors, city councils, county commissioners, and other civic leaders of the 21stCentury."–Brian Czech, Centre for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy"Humans are endowed with several unique qualities of which perhaps none are more important than our capacity for logical, evidence-based analysis and our ability to engage in forward planning. In short, humankind is the only species able to act deliberately to change its future for the better. We even have a whole planning profession founded on this singular reality. That said, the evidence today suggests that the sheer scale of the human enterprise, and our seemingly unthinking dedication to continued material growth, are undermining global life support systems and with them, the human prospect. Change is coming; the end of growth is inevitable. The only question is whether the end will be dominated by chaotic disorder or inspired vision. But where are the planners? At last withThe No-Growth Imperative, we have a de-growth book for community planners and social activists that should let them confront society's growth demons head on. Let us begin the transition to an equitable stable steady-state within the means of nature and, in the doing of it, rise to our full human potential."–William Rees, Professor Emeritus, University of British Columbia