ABSTRACT
The ecological footprint of the contemporary global political economy far exceeds the carrying capacity of the planet, resulting in environmental degradation and climate change. We start by discussing tensions between the reproduction principles of nature and of the capitalist mode of production as highlighted by Marx. We then consider the institutional variety of real-existing capitalisms and discuss some of the different faces of these structural tensions. We identify various streams of research that question whether economic growth and environmental sustainability can be reconciled. Such research in many cases engages with the field of ecological economics. We outline the post-growth vision of sustainable welfare and note some of the eco-social policies that could contribute to bring about such a system, focusing in particular on wealth and income caps. Utilizing insights from transnational historical materialism, we finally reflect upon some of the obstacles to a transition towards a smaller and more socially equitable global political economy.
