But is it?

但它是嗎？

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, more than 1,100 economists, scholars

在冠狀病毒大流行之後，1,100多名經濟學家、學者

and climate activists from over 60 countries signed an open letter

和來自60多個國家的氣候活動家簽署了一份公開信

calling for an end to a capitalist system which pursues growth at all costs.

呼籲結束不惜一切代價追求增長的資本主義制度。

Instead, they advocated for 'degrowth', a concept that directly challenges

相反，他們主張 "去增長"，這一概念直接挑戰了

the long-held view that more is always better.

長期以來的觀點是，越多越好。

Put simply, the objective of degrowth is to ensure that life is at the center of our economic systems.

簡單地說，退化的目標是確保生命處於我們經濟體系的中心。

That means challenging the idea that economic growth is good for everyone

這意味著挑戰經濟增長對每個人都有好處的想法。

and instead focusing directly on making people happier and healthier.

而直接專注於使人們更快樂和更健康。

Ever since the metric of gross domestic product,

自從有了國內生產總值的衡量標準。

or GDP, was first proposed in 1937,

或GDP，是在1937年首次提出的。

policymakers have been striving to increase this measure of a country's economic welfare.

決策者們一直在努力提高這一衡量一個國家經濟福利的標準。

However, advocates of degrowth say GDP shouldn't be considered a proxy for progress,

然而，主張去增長的人說，國內生產總值不應該被認為是進步的代表。

arguing there is an urgent need for us to learn how to

辯稱我們迫切需要學習如何

live better while producing less. So what would that look like?

在減少生產的同時生活得更好。那麼，那會是什麼樣子呢？

Rich countries would be urged to reduce inequality through measures such as job guarantees,

富國將被敦促通過就業保障等措施減少不平等。

a shorter working week and potentially a universal basic income.

縮短工作周，並有可能實現全民基本收入。

It would require high-income countries to dramatically scale down energy and resource use.

這將要求高收入國家大幅減少能源和資源的使用。

Low-income countries, meanwhile, should continue to grow their economies

同時，低收入國家應繼續增長其經濟

in a sustainable way, at least until they reach a level of parity with middle-income nations.

至少在他們達到與中等收入國家同等的水準之前，要以可持續的方式來實現。

One of the core aims of degrowth is to tackle the idea that every sector of the economy

減肥的核心目標之一是解決經濟中每個部門的想法

must grow, all the time, regardless of whether or not we actually need it.

必須增長，一直如此，不管我們是否真的需要它。

Advocates argue that instead of growing sectors such as the arms and automotive industries,

倡導者認為，與其說是武器和汽車工業等增長部門。

more focus should be placed on areas such as public transportation and renewable energy.

更多的重點應該放在公共交通和可再生能源等領域。

But what about the risks associated with a slowing economy?

但是，與經濟放緩相關的風險呢？

Critics of degrowth worry about just that, with some pointing to 2020's sharp economic contraction as one example.

減肥的批評者擔心的正是這一點，一些人指出2020年的經濟急劇收縮就是一個例子。

The spread of Covid last year coincided with the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

去年Covid的傳播恰好與1930年代大蕭條以來最嚴重的經濟衰退相吻合。

Strict public health measures and reduced mobility saw the global economy contract by 4.3%.

嚴格的公共衛生措施和減少的流動性使全球經濟收縮了4.3%。

Some described this sharp slowdown as “degrowthism in action,”

一些人將這種急劇放緩描述為 "行動中的退化主義"。

but degrowthers themselves said this was misleading and rejected such criticism.

但 "墮落者 "自己說這是誤導，並拒絕這種責備。

They say degrowth is different because it is a planned contraction that aims to be equitable.

他們說，退化是不同的，因為它是一種有計劃的收縮，目的是為了公平。

By contrast, a recession is an unplanned event that can exacerbate inequality and reduce wellbeing.

相比之下，經濟衰退是一個沒有計劃的事件，會加劇不平等和減少福利。

They even argued the economic crisis was in fact related to our dependence on growth.

他們甚至認為，經濟危機實際上與我們對增長的依賴有關。

Leading proponents of the movement have also stressed that degrowth does not call

該運動的主要支持者還強調，退化並不要求

for a reduction in personal income, noting that rich countries already have

削減個人收入，並指出富裕國家已經有了

more than enough resources to secure good lives for everyone.

有足夠的資源來確保每個人的美好生活。

While degrowth has received renewed attention in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic,

雖然在冠狀病毒大流行之後，退化得到了新的關注。

the idea itself first gained prominence in the early 1970s.

這個想法本身在20世紀70年代初首次獲得突出地位。

The history of the degrowth movement can be traced back to 1972,

退化運動的歷史可以追溯到1972年。

when French philosopher Andre Gorz first coined the term: 'décroissance'.

法國哲學家安德烈-戈爾茨首次提出了 "文藝復興 "一詞。

Translated into English as 'degrowth', Gorz questioned whether the Earth's natural balance

被翻譯成英語的 "degrowth"，Gorz質疑地球的自然平衡是否會被破壞。

was compatible with the survival of a capitalist system that pursues relentless economic growth.

是與追求無情的經濟增長的資本主義制度的生存相適應的。

In the same year, a think tank called the Club of Rome published a book entitled “Limits to Growth.”

同年，一個名為羅馬俱樂部的智囊團出版了一本題為 "增長的極限 "的書。

In it, researchers from MIT predicted that our seemingly never-ending appetite for industrial growth

在其中，來自麻省理工學院的研究人員預測，我們對工業增長似乎永無止境的胃口

would see civilization collapse sometime in the 21st century.

將在21世紀的某個時候看到文明的崩潰。

This idea was widely criticized at the time, and in 2002, one Danish academic

這一想法在當時受到了廣泛的責備，2002年，一位丹麥學者

even suggested the book should be relegated to the “dustbin of history.”

甚至建議這本書應該被歸入 "歷史的垃圾堆"。

Researchers at the University of Melbourne, however, argued that

然而，墨爾本大學的研究人員認為

more than 40 years on, the book's forecasts appear accurate.

40多年過去了，該書的預測似乎很準確。

And, if we continue to track in line with its projections,

而且，如果我們繼續按照其預測進行跟蹤。

we should expect to see the early stages of global collapse to start appearing soon.

我們應該期待看到全球崩潰的早期階段很快開始出現。

In the decades since these discussions were first published,

在這些討論首次發表後的幾十年裡。

increasing alarm over the scale and speed of the climate crisis has sharpened the focus

對氣候危機的規模和速度的日益震驚使人們更加關注

on ideas that tackle rampant consumerism in high income countries.

關於解決高收入國家猖獗的消費主義的想法。

So much so, that in September 2019, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg

以至於在2019年9月，瑞典氣候活動家Greta Thunberg

delivered an emotional anti-growth speech at the UN Climate Summit in New York.

在紐約舉行的聯合國氣候峰會上發表了激動人心的反增長演講。

We are in the beginning of a mass extinction and all you can talk about is money

我們正處於大規模滅絕的初期，而你只能談論錢。

and fairytales of eternal economic growth. How dare you.

和永恆的經濟增長的童話故事。你怎麼敢。

Despite the ongoing pandemic, a recent global survey found that

儘管大流行病持續不斷，最近的一項全球調查發現，

most people perceive climate change to be the biggest threat to their country.

大多數人認為氣候變化是對他們國家的最大威脅。

The United Nations has recognized the environmental emergency as the “defining issue of our time,”

聯合國已經承認環境緊急情況是 "我們時代的決定性問題"。

warning that in order to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius,

警告說，為了將全球變暖控制在1.5攝氏度以下。

global emissions must be cut to zero by 2050.

全球排放量必須在2050年前削減到零。

That's a huge undertaking and one that will require far-reaching

這是一項巨大的事業，需要有深遠的影響。

and unprecedented changes across all aspects of society.

和社會各方面前所未有的變化。

With worldwide mobility brought to a standstill in 2020, the coronavirus crisis led to

隨著2020年世界範圍內的流動性陷入停滯，冠狀病毒危機導致了

the largest ever decline of global emissions on record. To some, it elevated hopes that carbon emissions

這是有史以來最大的全球排放下降記錄。對一些人來說，這提升了人們對碳排放的希望。

had peaked and illustrated the potential for a long-term low-carbon recovery.

這也說明了長期低碳復甦的潛力。

Nonetheless, pollution at the end of 2020 rebounded to pre-lockdown levels

儘管如此，2020年底的汙染還是回升到了封鎖前的水準

as economies gradually opened up, prompting the International Energy Agency

隨著經濟的逐步開放，促使國際能源機構

to stress that this should serve as a “stark warning” to world leaders.

強調這應該成為對世界領導人的一個 "嚴厲警告"。

The U.S. and European Union have crafted policies in recent years

美國和歐盟近年來精心制定了政策

to cut carbon emissions and invest in renewable energy,

以減少碳排放並投資於可再生能源。

focusing on “green growth” instead of degrowth, much to the dismay of some in the degrowth movement.

著重於 "綠色增長 "而不是退化，這讓退化運動中的一些人很不高興。

While degrowth has yet to go mainstream, there have been a few green shoots of progress in recent years.

雖然退化還沒有成為主流，但近年來已經有了一些進展的綠芽。

Scotland, Iceland and New Zealand have all pledged to prioritize wellbeing rather than solely focusing on economic growth.

蘇格蘭、冰島和紐西蘭都已承諾優先考慮福祉，而不是僅僅關注經濟增長。

Perhaps it won't be too long before others are tempted to follow suit.

也許過不了多久，其他人也會受到誘惑而效仿。

Thanks for watching. Do you feel economic growth is essential to your future?

謝謝觀看。你覺得經濟增長對你的未來至關重要嗎？

Do let us know in the comments section and don't forget to subscribe.

請在評論區告訴我們，別忘了訂閱。

See you next time.

下一次見。