Building Alternative Livelihoods in times of political and ecological crisis is the overarching theme of the conference. Economic systems have always co-evolved with social, environmental and technological systems. The worsening ecological and climate crisis means we must urgently abandon practices of production and consumption associated with ecological degradation and rely on unsustainable extractivism. We must develop alternative livelihoods which are harmonious with planetary limits and safeguard material living conditions. We must invent and trial new ways of working, providing for everyone's needs, caring for each other and democratising the economy. We must seek clarity about the systems of provisioning which will be utilised in a society beyond growth where states and markets play more peripheral roles in the allocation of resources. In short, we must ask what are the alternative livelihoods which ensure the future conditions of societal wellbeing.

The construction of alternative livelihoods entails a radical transformation of economy, culture and society. What are the institutional arrangements which safely provide for basic needs, social stability and democratic legitimacy in the transition to environmental sustainability? How can both social justice and ecological justice for the populations of the Global North and the Global South be ensured? How can political support be mobilised for the necessary transformations? How can the transition to environmental sustainability be made politically viable and democratically legitimate?

We list below some of the topics that the conference could cover. We also look forward to ideas beyond these, which would expand the geographical and thematic scope of degrowth, as well as advance and further substantiate current degrowth​ ​debates.

1.the economy beyond states and markets 2.the future of employment, work and care 3.debates on degrowth, green growth, the circular economy, and decoupling 4.forms of decommodification and non-capitalist modes of resource allocation 5.the democratisation of the economy and alternative models and forms of organisation 6.the production and conservation of energy 7.low carbon and low energy futures 8.commoning resources 9.money, debt and the financial system 10.monetary and non-monetary measures of prosperity and well-being 11.a universal basic income or universal basic services 12.the green new deal and degrowth 13.the decentralisation of power 14.decolonization and feminist economics as challenges to power 15.post-growth policy-making, law and governance 16.how to respond to the ethno-nationalist environmentalism and anti-environmentalism of ascendant populist groups 17.the politics of transitions to sustainability and the lessons to be learned from past socio-economic and cultural transformation 18.spatial issues: planning, housing and the future of cities 19.diversity and degrowth: class, race, gender, abilities 20.sustainable development goals and degrowth 21.conflict resolution processes and socio-ecological transformations 22.biodiversity, ecosystem services, and sustainable livelihoods 23.degrowth and social metabolism 24.political economy and ecological economics/degrowth 25.sustainable livelihoods and ecological sufficiency 26.languages of valuation and ecological conflicts 27.extractivism, environmental Justice and illicit activities 28.social ecological economics and degrowth 29.production, consumption and degrowth 30.strategies for degrowth transformation: lessons from the Vienna conference