Facilitated by Prof. Mary Murphy
In this session, the backdrop is set for the conference by exploring the role and direction of a new economy with Prof. Julia Steinberger (University of Lausanne, online), Prof. Eloi Laurent (Sciences Po, online), Dr. Seán Fearon (CUSP), and Dr. Báyò Akómoláfé (Emergence Network, online).
Topics covered included the relationship between GDP growth and the dangerous destruction of global ecosystems and undermining of healthy communities; the development, over the past decade and a half, of the ‘Beyond Growth’ movement at EU level; the need for a feminist, decolonialist, inclusive approach to reducing inequality and achieving the ecological transition; the particular situation of Ireland as a former colony which is now highly dependent on Foreign Direct Investment, and whose economy breaches planetary boundaries; and the need to avoid anthropocentrism and instead take a systems view, tackling the ‘upstream’ causes of the problems we are facing.
Philip McDonagh then read four of his poems (starting at minute 47): “A Part of the Ecology”, “Lapland”, a chorus for Gumilyov’s play “Gondla”, and “Casement in Pentonville”.
Artwork by Vicky Donnelly and Helen O’Keefe.
Photography by Killian Broderick
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