2022 Eric Zencey Prize in Ecological Economics for Tim Jackson’s book Post Growth: Life after Capitalism
The announcement was made by the Gund Institute for Environment at the University of Vermont and the U.S. Society of Ecological Economics
10 November 2022
CUSP director Tim Jackson has won the 2022 Eric Zencey Prize in Ecological Economics for his book Post Growth: Life after Capitalism. The prize celebrates outstanding writing on the environmental limits of a finite planet.
Jackson’s book argues that the pursuit of economic growth has delivered climate catastrophe, social inequity, and financial instability—leaving society ill-prepared for a global pandemic. Weaving together economic insight, social vision and philosophical reflection, the provocative text dares us to envision a world beyond capitalism—a place where relationship and meaning take precedence over profits and power.
Professor Tim Jackson, Professor of Sustainable Development at the University of Surrey and Director of CUSP said:
“I’m absolutely delighted that Post Growth: Life After Capitalism has been awarded the Eric Zencey Prize. Ecological economics has been my intellectual home for more than three decades now, and this book was a very personal project for me.”
Tim Jackson has been a leading voice in international sustainability debates, working closely with the UK Government, the United Nations, the European Commission, numerous NGOs, industry, and foundations to bring economic and social science research into sustainability. His research is quoted in IPCC reports and he was awarded the Hillary Laureate in 2016 for exceptional international leadership in sustainability. Post Growth was published by Polity Press in 2021.
The Eric Zencey Prize in Ecological Economics is made every two years by the Gund Institute for Environment at the University of Vermont in the United States and the U.S. Society of Ecological Economics.
Taylor Ricketts, Director of the Gund Institute for Environment, said:
“Post Growth: Life After Capitalism was the unanimous choice of our judges because it brings the core principles of ecological economics alive through powerful storytelling. This inspiring book is an invitation to reimagine the relationship among our economies, our societies, and our environment.”
Named after pioneering scholar Eric Zencey (1954-2019), the Eric Zencey Prize in Ecological Economics was created to recognize the best current affairs book or long-form journalism that advances the public understanding of real-world environmental challenges using principles of ecological economics, a field that explores the relationship between economics and Earth’s limited natural resources.
Runners up include: Mill Town: Reckoning with What Remains by Kerri Arsenault, and The Sustainable Economy: The Hidden Costs of Climate Change and Path to Prosperous Future. The full press release can be accessed on the University of Vermont website.
Event
A virtual award ceremony and public conversation with Tim Jackson, featuring readings by the author, will be held on Monday 5 December from 9pm GMT (4pm ET). The free event will be co-presented by the Gund Institute for Environment and the U.S. Society of Ecological Economics. Register to attend the Zoom Event.
Further reading
