Conference: Degrowth - Bridging Green & Just in CEE

Conference: Degrowth - Bridging Green & Just in CEE 🗓 16-19 June 2026 📍 Kraków, Poland Across Central and Eastern Europe, people are experiencing overlapping crises: rising living costs, environmental degradation, work precarity and growing inequalities. Climate and economic transformations are often presented as trade-offs - between satisfying social needs and caring for the environment. Yet many social movements, trade unions, community initiatives and researchers are asking a shared question: how can we ensure good life for all within planetary boundaries? Degrowth offers a framework to imagine a green and just transition that prioritises well-being, care and fairness over endless economic growth, rejecting the need for "sacrifices". As a social movement and practice, as well as a field of academic research, degrowth is becoming an increasingly clear and serious proposition, yet it is still mainly voiced by West European theory and practice. That is why we want to talk about degrowth in the context of Central and Eastern Europe. Countries from the former Eastern Block aspiring to 'catch up with the West'. Societies that are rather sceptical about climate policies and perceive green transition as a cost rather than an opportunity. Economies largely based on non-renewable energy sources, still experiencing the consequences of an unjust political transition for the world of work. 'Young' democracies, increasingly vulnerable to attacks from the far right. Places where discussions about de/militarisation are taking place in the shadow of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the threat of Russian aggression. Let's talk about degrowth in our region and develop regional responses, tasks, and propositions! We want to bring together usually separate academic and social communities; get to know each other, talk, learn from each other and work together to develop responses to pressing problems. That is why we invite you to actively participate in the conference: academics involved in research in the areas of degrowth, socio-environmental studies and sustainable transformation, practitioners, representatives of trade unions and social organisations or activists working in the areas of social policy, climate, environment and labour, as well as artists and designers creating socially engaged art, and politicians. We want the conference to be an opportunity to exchange ideas and establish long-term cooperation that will result in the local adaptation and popularisation of degrowth. 🧩 Non-registered participants may attend plenary events and academic sessions taking place from Wednesday to Friday (17.06.2026-19.06.2026). 🧩 Participation in workshops and sessions with a limited number of places will be possible only if spots are available, with priority given to registered conference participants. 🧩 Passive participation does not include special events such as the opening and closing ceremonies, evening sessions, or study visits. 🧩 Participation in this format does not require registration. 🔗 Full programme here: https://degrowth.uj.edu.pl/en_GB/krakow Organisers: Faculty of Management and Social Communication, Jagiellonian University in Krakow Partners: Degrowth Poland; Masaryk University & NaZemi (CZ); University of Szeged (HU); Technical University of Košice & Klima ťa potrebuje (SVK) 📩 Contact: [email protected] The project is co-financed by the governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from the International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.

Conference: Degrowth - Bridging Green & Just in CEE 🗓 16-19 June 2026 📍 Kraków, Poland Across Central and Eastern Europe, people are experiencing overlapping crises: rising living costs, environmental degradation, work precarity and growing inequalities. Climate and economic transformations are often presented as trade-offs - between satisfying social needs and caring for the environment. Yet many social movements, trade unions, community initiatives and researchers are asking a shared question: how can we ensure good life for all within planetary boundaries? Degrowth offers a framework to imagine a green and just transition that prioritises well-being, care and fairness over endless economic growth, rejecting the need for "sacrifices". As a social movement and practice, as well as a field of academic research, degrowth is becoming an increasingly clear and serious proposition, yet it is still mainly voiced by West European theory and practice. That is why we want to talk about de...