COVID-19 has shaken the world. It has already led to the loss or devastation of countless lives, while many people in vital professions are working day and night to attend to the sick and stop further spread. Personal and social losses, and the fight to stop these, demand our continued respect and support. At the same time, it is critical to view this pandemic in historical context in order to avoid repeating past mistakes when we plan for the future.
The fact that COVID-19 has already had such a major economic impact is due, amongst other factors, to the economic development model that has been dominant globally over the last 30 years. This model demands ever-growing circulation of goods and people, despite the countless ecological problems and growing inequalities it generates. Over the last few weeks, the weaknesses of the neoliberal growth machine have been painfully exposed. Amongst other issues we have seen: large companies pleading for immediate state support once effective demand falls away for even a short time; insecure jobs being lost or put on hold; and further strain placed on already underfunded healthcare systems. People who recently confronted the government in their struggles for recognition and decent salaries are now, remarkably, considered to have ‘vital professions’ in healthcare, elderly care, public transport and education.
A further weakness of the current system, and one that is not yet prominent in discussions of the pandemic, is the link between economic development, the loss of biodiversity and important ecosystem functions, and the opportunity for diseases like COVID-19 to spread among humans. These are lethal links and could become much more so. The WHO has already estimated that, globally, 4.2 million people die each year from outdoor air pollution, and that the impacts of climate change are expected to cause 250,000 additional deaths per year between 2030 and 2050. Experts warn that with further severe degradation of ecosystems – a scenario that is to be expected under the current economic model – chances for further and even stronger virus outbreaks on top of these unfolding catastrophes are realistic.
All this requires drastic and integrated action and makes it critical to start planning for a post- COVID-19 world as soon as possible. While some short-term positive social and environmental impacts have emerged in the crisis—such as community support, local organizing and solidarity, less pollution and GHG emissions—these changes will be temporary and marginalized without concerted efforts for broader political and economic change. It is therefore necessary to envision how this current situation could lead to a more sustainable, fair, equitable, healthy, and resilient form of (economic) development going forward.
This brief manifesto signed by 174 Netherlands-based scholars aims to summarize what we know to be critical and successful policy strategies for moving forward during and after the crisis.
We propose five key policy proposals for a post-COVID-19 development model, all of which can be implemented immediately and sustained after this particular crisis has subsided:
1) a move away from development focused on aggregate GDP growth to differentiate among sectors that can grow and need investment (the so-called critical public sectors, and clean energy, education, health and more) and sectors that need to radically degrow due to their fundamental unsustainability or their role in driving continuous and excessive consumption (especially private sector oil, gas, mining, advertising, and so forth);
2) an economic framework focused on redistribution, which establishes a universal basic income rooted in a universal social policy system, a strong progressive taxation of income, profits and wealth, reduced working hours and job sharing, and recognizes care work and essential public services such as health and education for their intrinsic value;
3) agricultural transformation towards regenerative agriculture based on biodiversity conservation, sustainable and mostly local and vegetarian food production, as well as fair agricultural employment conditions and wages;
4) reduction of consumption and travel, with a drastic shift from luxury and wasteful consumption and travel to basic, necessary, sustainable and satisfying consumption and travel;
5) debt cancellation, especially for workers and small business owners and for countries in the global south (both from richer countries and international financial institutions).
As academics, we are convinced that this policy vision will lead to more sustainable, equal and diverse societies based on international solidarity, and ones that can better prevent and deal with shocks and pandemics to come. For us the question is no longer whether we need to start implementing these strategies, but how we go about it.
As we acknowledge those groups hardest hit by this particular crisis in the Netherlands and beyond, we can do justice to them by being proactive in ensuring that a future crisis will be much less severe, cause much less suffering or not happen at all. Together with many other communities, in the Netherlands and globally, we believe the time is right for such a positive and meaningful vision going forward. We urge politicians, policy-makers and the general public to start organizing for their implementation sooner rather than later.
Signed:
- Ana Aceska, Wageningen University
- Murat Arsel, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Ellen Bal, Vrije University Amsterdam
- Bosman Batubara, IHE, Delft University en University of Amsterdam
- Maarten Bavinck, University of Amsterdam
- Pascal Beckers, Radboud University
- Kees Biekart, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Arpita Bisht, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Cebuan Bliss, Radboud University
- Rutgerd Boelens, Wageningen University
- Simone de Boer, Leiden University
- Jun Borras, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Suzanne Brandon, Wageningen University
- Arjen Buijs, Wageningen University
- Bram Büscher, Wageningen University
- Amrita Chhachhi, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Kristen Cheney, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Robert Coates, Wageningen University
- Dimitris Dalakoglou, Vrije University Amsterdam
- Jampel Dell’Angelo, Vrije University Amsterdam
- Josephine Chambers, Wageningen University
- Freek Colombijn, Vrije University Amsterdam
- Tine Davids, Radboud University
- Sierra Deutsch, Wageningen University
- Madi Ditmars, Afrika Studiecentrum Leiden
- Guus Dix, Leiden University
- Martijn Duineveld, Wageningen University
- Henk Eggens, Royal Tropical Institute
- Thomas Eimer, Radboud University
- Flávio Eiró, Radboud University
- Willem Elbers, Radboud University
- Jaap Evers, IHE Delft University
- Giuseppe Feola, Utrecht University
- Milja Fenger, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Andrew Fischer, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Robert Fletcher, Wageningen University
- Judith Floor, Open University en Wageningen University
- Des Gasper, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Lennie Geerlings, Leiden University
- Julien-François Gerber, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Jan Bart Gewald, African Studies Centre Leiden
- Sterre Gilsing, Utrecht University
- Cristina Grasseni, Leiden University
- Erella Grassiani, University of Amsterdam
- Joyeeta Gupta, University of Amsterdam
- Wendy Harcourt, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Janne Heederik, Radboud University
- Ignas Heitköning, Wageningen University
- Henk van den Heuvel, Vrije University Amsterdam
- Silke Heumann, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Thea Hilhorst, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Helen Hintjens, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Geoffrey Hobbis, Groningen University
- Stephanie Hobbis, Wageningen University
- Barbara Hogenboom, University of Amsterdam
- Michaela Hordijk, University of Amsterdam
- Sabine van der Horst, Utrecht University
- Henk van Houtum, Radboud University
- Edward Huijbens, Wageningen University
- Kees Jansen, Wageningen University
- Freek Janssens, Leiden University
- Rosalba Icaza, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Verina Ingram, Wageningen Economic Research en Wageningen University
- Rivke Jaffe, University of Amsterdam
- Shyamika Jayasundara-Smits, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Joop de Jong, Amsterdam UMC
- Rik Jongenelen, African Studies Centre, Leiden
- Joost Jongerden, Wageningen University
- Emanuel de Kadt, Utrecht University
- Coco Kanters, Leiden University.
- Agnieszka Kazimierczuk, African Studies Centre Leiden
- Jeltsje Kemerink-Seyoum, IHE Delft University
- Thomas Kiggell, Wageningen University
- Mathias Koepke, Utrecht University
- Michiel Köhne, Wageningen University
- Anouk de Koning, Leiden University
- Kees Koonings, Utrecht University en University of Amsterdam
- Stasja Koot, Wageningen University
- Michelle Kooy, IHE Delft University
- Martijn Koster, Radboud University
- Rachel Kuran, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Arnoud Lagendijk, Radboud University
- Corinne Lamain, Erasmus University
- Irene Leonardelli, IHE Delft University
- Maggi Leung, Utrecht University
- Rik Leemans, Wageningen University
- Yves van Leynseele, University of Amsterdam
- Janwillem Liebrand, Utrecht University
- Trista Chich-Chen Lin, Wageningen University
- Andrew Littlejohn, Leiden University
- Mieke Lopes-Cardozo, University of Amsterdam
- Erik de Maaker, Leiden University
- Žiga Malek, Vrije University Amsterdam
- Ellen Mangnus, Wageningen University
- Hans Marks, Radboud University
- Jemma Middleton, Leiden University
- Irene Moretti, Leiden University.
- Esther Miedema, University of Amsterdam
- Toon van Meijl, Radboud University
- Miriam Meissner, Maastricht University
- Adam Moore, Radboud University
- Tsegaye Moreda, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- OonaMorrow,
WageningenUniversity - Farhad Mukhtarov, Erasmus University
- Nikki Mulder, Leiden University
- Mansoob Murshed, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Paul Mutsaers, Radboud University
- Femke van Noorloos, Utrecht University
- Martijn Oosterbaan, Utrecht University
- Meghann Ormond, Wageningen University
- Annet Pauwelussen, Wageningen University
- Peter Pels, Leiden University
- Lee Pegler, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Lorenzo Pellegrini, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Yvon van der Pijl, University Utrecht
- Liedeke Plate, Radboud University
- Fernande Pool, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Metje Postma, Leiden University
- Nicky Pouw, University of Amsterdam
- Crelis Rammelt, University of Amsterdam
- Elisabet Rasch, Wageningen University
- Marina de Regt, Vrije University Amsterdam
- Ria Reis, Leiden University Medical Center
- Andro Rilović, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Tobias Rinke de Wit (University of Amsterdam
- Claudia Rodríguez Orrego, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Eva van Roekel, Vrije University Amsterdam
- Mirjam Ros-Tonen, University of Amsterdam
- Martin Ruivenkamp, Wageningen University
- Ary A. Samsura, Planologie, Radboud University
- Annemarie Samuels, Leiden University
- Ton Salman, Vrije University Amsterdam
- Younes Saramifar, Vrije University Amsterdam
- Federico Savini, University of Amsterdam
- Joeri Scholtens, University of Amsterdam
- Mindi Schneider, Wageningen University
- Lau Schulpen, Radboud University
- Peter Schumacher, Utrecht University
- Amod Shah, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Murtah Shannon, Utrecht University
- Karin Astrid Siegmann, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Sven da Silva, Radboud University
- Giulia Sinatti, Vrije University Amsterdam
- Lothar Smit, Radboud University
- Marja Spierenburg, Leiden University
- Rachel Spronk, University of Amsterdam
- Antonia Stanojevic, Radboud University
- Nora Stel, Radboud University
- Marjo de Theije, Vrije University Amsterdam
- Louis Thiemann, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Lisa Trogisch, Wageningen University
- Wendelien Tuyp, Vrije University Amsterdam
- EstherVeen,
WageningenUniversity - Lieke van der Veer, Radboud University
- Courtney Vegelin, University of Amsterdam
- Hemalatha Venkataraman, Radboud University
- Willemijn Verkoren, Radboud University
- Gerard Verschoor, Wageningen University
- Hebe V errest, University of Amsterdam
- Bas Verschuuren, Wageningen University
- Mark Vicol, Wageningen University
- OanneVisser,
ErasmusUniversityRotterdam - Anick Vollebergh, Radboud University
- Roanne van Voorst, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Pieter de Vries, Wageningen University
- Vincent Walstra, Leiden University.
- Saskia Werners, Wageningen University
- Maaike Westra, African Studies Centre Leiden
- Mark Westmoreland, Leiden University
- Nikkie Wiegink, Utrecht University
- Saskia Wieringa, University of Amsterdam
- Angela Wigger, Radboud University
- Han Wiskerke, Wageningen University
- Margreet Zwarteveen, University of Amsterdam
And the Dutch Footprint Group (www.voetafdruk.eu)
