Reimagining EU Sustainability: The Doughnut Economics Model as a Path to a Safe and Just Operating Space

ongoing

This proposal aims to establish a Jean Monnet Module centred on Doughnut Economics (DEs) model, a transformative framework for sustainable development that balances the social foundation with ecological ceiling to enter into “safe and just operating space.” This Module comprises three university courses, each delivered annually in a logical sequence. The first course will introduce the historical evolution and theoretical foundations of DEs. The second course will delve into the methodological aspects of the DEs model, focusing on multidisciplinary approaches to estimating socio-economic and bio-physical boundaries, as well as evaluating the mediating role of ecosystem services in connecting these two spheres. The third course will examine current advancements in sustainability evaluations of the model within the EU and China, including comparative analyses. Case studies of “Doughnut Cities” such as Amsterdam and Brussels will be presented as exemplars of urban sustainability transitions, with an emphasis on the future global development of DEs. Additionally, three in-person workshops on DEs policy impacts and case studies will be held at Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) and Shenzhen Library, complemented by three virtual seminars on EU-China sustainability cooperation under the DEs framework via Zoom and Teams, with one workshop or seminar per year. An associated online learning platform named DoughEU will be established to provide access to updated teaching materials and resources for cross-border participants. The project leader is experiential to handle this project, as he has fully participated in the Jean Monnet Module “Climate Policy under the Background of European Integration—A Study on EU ETS” (2011-2014) and Jean Monnet Chair “Study on EU Environmental Policy with Economics” (2014-2017) coordinated by Jean Monnet Chair Professor, Lei RAO. Prof. RAO will be invited as external expert and will be consulted throughout the implementation of this Module.