Sophie Swaton, for an ecological transition income

Post Growth Conference Tuesday 18 september 2018, Brussels Workshop: Basic Income

For an ecological transition income Sophie Swaton, Institute of Geography and Sustainability, FGSE

Tools of the communication • Explain the theoretical context of the proposal (1) • Define the proposition: what is an ecological transition income ? (2) • Explore some concrete experimentations (3)

For an ecological transition income – Sophie Swaton, Post Growth Conference, Brussels 2018

1. Context of the research 1.1 Natural resources are limited : •the problem is not only about the climate change •but also on the 9 planet boundaries (Steffen et al, 2015) •as reminded by specialists we have few time to act

For an ecological transition income – Sophie Swaton, Post Growth Conference, Brussels 2018

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1. Context of the research 1.2 Technological revolutions and societal transitions •The growth is different from the previous one (Valenduc 2018): algorithm performance and big data •Problem of unemployment (Laurent 2017): robots versus workers?

•How to conciliate climate change and the digitalisation of the economy? (Pochet 2018)

For an ecological transition income – Sophie Swaton, Post Growth Conference, Brussels 2018

1. Context of the research • 1.3 Inequalities • Social inequalities are growing up (Oxfam 2016) • New kind of poverty appear in Europe (fuel poverty) • Environmental inequalities between North and South (Cabanates 2017)

For an ecological transition income – Sophie Swaton, Post Growth Conference, Brussels 2018

1. Context of the research Research question: •How to help people and workers to fill with news jobs taking into account the planet boundaries?

Two main hypothesis: •A. Keep together social and ecological goals •B. Employment still exist and remains a main factor of social integration. Refusal of the ‘useless man’ (Giraud 2016).

For an ecological transition income – Sophie Swaton, Post Growth Conference, Brussels 2018

2. Proposal for an ecological transition income

For an ecological transition income – Sophie Swaton, Post Growth Conference, Brussels 2018

2. Proposal for an ecological transition income • Three main limits identified for green job creation or transition: 1. Income limit to start a project (for instance, in agriculture, need for income security) 2. Limit of coaching or accompanying (not knowing how to start) 3. Limit of reinforcing the community (feeling of being isolated) : need to share good practices, to be membership of a structure, a network.

For an ecological transition income – Sophie Swaton, Post Growth Conference, Brussels 2018

2. Proposal for an ecological transition income • Three operating principles for an ecological transition income: 1. Income is conditionned to an ecological or social activity: job creation or to be created without changing the actual social protection 2. Beyond income: a real ‘coaching’ for people 3. Mutual resources : adhesion to a ‘democratic’ structure (cooperative, association, SSE, economic cooperation) including several shareholders For an ecological transition income – Sophie Swaton, Post Growth Conference, Brussels 2018

2. Proposal for an ecological transition income What kind of fundings ?

•Classical ones: -taxes for negative externalities -extension of the social protection for ecological and social projects •More innovant: -fiscal stimulus and support for green industries -Local currencies -experimentations For an ecological transition income – Sophie Swaton, Post Growth Conference, Brussels 2018

3. Experimental tracks France: •Possible link in France with the experimentation « Longterm unemployed zero territory » (TZCLD) •But also with the french movement of basic income specially int the north of the country (research action thesis started to find the better way to experiment) •Experimentation started with the project Tera (region of Nouvelle Aquitaine) through several financial supports For an ecological transition income – Sophie Swaton, Post Growth Conference, Brussels 2018

3. Experimental tracks Switzerland: •In Switzerland experimentation could be led through the support of movement for a basic income (Lausanne) • Micro-local experimentation in progress trough several financial supports among which the foundation ZOEIN •Research-action also started (what acceptability for a basis income and more specifically an ecological income?)

For an ecological transition income – Sophie Swaton, Post Growth Conference, Brussels 2018

3. Experimental tracks Anywhere else in Europe: •The perfect framework to experiment an ecological transition incomeanywhere else in Europe could be the transition network •Identify the commons of a territory •Identify the already existing associations and network

For an ecological transition income – Sophie Swaton, Post Growth Conference, Brussels 2018

3. Experimental tracks Employment can be create in different areas: •Energy, building (renovation of buildings, insulation, renewable energy ...)

•Waste, recycling (roadside collection, collective composters ...)

•Transport (bike paths, repair workshop, carsharing ...)

•Agriculture (creation and maintenance of collective gardens, participation with farmers to improve natural ecosystems, composting, short circuits, permaculture ...)

For an ecological transition income – Sophie Swaton, Post Growth Conference, Brussels 2018

3. Experimental tracks Job creation in connection with ILO prognostic for 2050: •Activities also to be created in the field of support for people •Social assistance and new social professions including the aspect of fuel poverty that affects more than 10% of people in Europe •Services to communities, businesses, associations (eg: supervision in canteens, education / awareness of children and older, intergenerational optics, sharing meals etc.)

For an ecological transition income – Sophie Swaton, Post Growth Conference, Brussels 2018

Conclusion • Ecological transition income beyond Basic Income • Environmental ethics vs real libertarian • Ecological transition income combine social and ecological aims through a collective viewpoint • Ecological transition need to be supported !

• And experimentations are to be led / lobbying ?

For an ecological transition income – Sophie Swaton, Post Growth Conference, Brussels 2018

Sources • Sophie Swaton, Pour un Revenu de Transition Ecologique, Puf, 2018.

• https://theconversation.com/face-a-des-ressourcesnaturelles-comptees-instaurons-le-revenu-detransition-ecologique-91112 • https://www.linfodurable.fr/educationcitoyennete/un -revenu-de-transition-ecologique-pour-changer-lasociete-2053 • https://lapenseeecologique.com/author/sophieswaton/ 18

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Thank you four attention!

• Contact: sophie.swaton@unil.ch • Adress: University of Lausanne, FGSE, IGD Quartier Mouline, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland

For an ecological transition income – Sophie Swaton, Post Growth Conference, Brussels 2018