One of the most eye-opening exercises we did in the Energy and Society course was about applying the concept of degrowth to the West Highland rural area. It really made me step back and think differently about how we measure success—not just in terms of economic growth but in terms of sustainability, fairness, and improving people’s lives. Looking back, I can see how these ideas connect to my KIPP proposal on green hydrogen (GH2) supply chains. Both focus on creating systems that are fair, resilient, and sustainable, rather than just chasing growth for the sake of it.
What I Learned From the Degrowth Exercise
The degrowth exercise was about imagining a sustainable future for the West Highland area—a region with amazing natural beauty but also a lot of challenges, like limited job opportunities and access to services. Our task was to come up with ideas that could make the area more sustainable while improving people’s quality of life and protecting the environment.
Here’s what really stuck with me:
- Local Systems Build Resilience: The exercise showed how important it is to focus on local solutions. For the West Highlands, this meant things like local farming, renewable energy projects, and eco-tourism, which reduce reliance on big, global systems.
- Fairness is Non-Negotiable: Degrowth is all about fairness—making sure everyone benefits, especially those who are struggling. For the West Highlands, this was about making energy affordable and creating opportunities for the people living there.
- Success Isn’t Just About Money: One of the most powerful ideas was reframing success. Instead of focusing on profits or economic growth, the exercise made us think about what really matters: reducing carbon emissions, improving quality of life, and strengthening communities.
Now that I think about it, a lot of what we talked about in the West Highland exercise aligns with what I’m trying to achieve in my KIPP proposal about green hydrogen. My project is about figuring out how GH2 can help us move to cleaner energy systems in a way that’s sustainable and fair.
1. Building Resilience
The West Highland exercise taught me that resilience is about creating systems that can handle challenges, like climate change or resource shortages. In my GH2 proposal, I focus on making supply chains more resilient by looking at things like where to produce hydrogen and how to do it sustainably. I plan to use tools like GIS to map out the best locations for hydrogen production, which reminds me of how we talked about local solutions for the Highlands.
2. Fairness in Energy Transitions
One of the things I loved about the degrowth exercise was how it focused on fairness—making sure the benefits of sustainability reach everyone, especially those who need it most. In the West Highlands, this meant affordable energy and more local control over projects. In my proposal, I also want to make sure GH2 benefits marginalized communities. For example, I’m planning to involve policymakers and community representatives in my research to ensure that GH2 projects create jobs and opportunities for underserved areas.
3. Rethinking What Success Means
The degrowth exercise made me realize that success isn’t just about producing more or growing faster. It’s about creating systems that are sustainable and improve people’s lives. In my GH2 proposal, I’m not just looking at how efficiently we can produce hydrogen. I’m also thinking about how GH2 can reduce emissions, increase energy access, and support communities.
Challenges and Opportunities
Of course, it’s not always easy to apply degrowth ideas to something as big and global as GH2 supply chains. Scaling up hydrogen production to meet global demand requires big investments and infrastructure, which can feel very “growth-focused.” But I think there’s a way to balance this. For example, we can start with smaller, regional GH2 projects that are designed to meet local needs, just like we imagined for the West Highlands.
Another thing I learned from the West Highland exercise was the importance of involving communities. This will be critical for my GH2 project too. Talking to policymakers, industry leaders, and community members will help me make sure my project isn’t just about technology but also about benefiting real people.
Conclusion
The degrowth exercise in the West Highlands gave me a new way of thinking about sustainability, and I can see how those lessons fit perfectly with my KIPP proposal on green hydrogen. Both are about focusing on what really matters—resilience, fairness, and the environment—rather than just chasing growth.
As I move forward with my project, I want to keep these lessons in mind. Whether it’s in the West Highlands or on a global scale with GH2, the principles of degrowth remind me that it’s not just about what we build but how we build it—and who benefits from it.
