Vereinigung für Ökologische Ökonomie (VÖÖ) is a German scientific society promoting ecological principles in the global economy.

History and background

In 1992, the economist and the physicist Hans-Peter Dürr gave a joint talk at a conference of Verein für Socialpolitik (VfS) on the topic of “economics and nature”.. See also the online version (PDF) and the preliminary remark. During the discussion, it turned out that the point of view presented had no backing among the attendees of VfS, and Busch-Lüty and colleagues decided to establish an independent society. Busch-Lüty initiated in 1996 the establishment of VÖÖ as part of a small, interdisciplinary group of scientists as a German-speaking section of International Society for Ecological Economics (ISEE).Gründung einer Vereinigung für Ökologische Ökonomie im deutschsprachigen Raum: Call for Members. In: Ökologisches Wirtschaften, 1/1996. Accessed February 25, 2015 The local mayor and former Member of the European Parliament acted as a patron of the constitutive conference in April 1996 in Heidelberg. The 50 scientists present shared the belief that the calls of Rio Earth Summit 1992 for establishing a sustainable development are legitimate and need to be realized.VÖÖ: Wir über uns, Leitbild, accessed February 25, 2015. Based on the insight that economic growth would be the wrong answer to persistent ecological problems, the scientists wanted to act strategically to alter the academic landscape.

Positions The society argues that the economic sciences are overcharged with the necessary transformation and claims, that other scientific fields, politics open to change and the cultural forces of the society as a whole are necessary to implement and shape the change assumed necessary. Since the beginning, VÖÖ emphasized the necessity of a transdisciplinary approach.. Online access (PDF) Until 2010, VÖÖ was involved with establishing the concept of sustainability in its ecological, social and economic perspective.Peter Finke: Die VÖÖ am Scheideweg (PDF; 23 kB), accessed February 25, 2015. Following a reorientation in 2010, the society promotes a post-growth economy based on the concepts of Niko Paech and others. The concept of sustainable growth is considered to be an oxymoron, and the importance of eco-efficiency, consistency and eco-sufficiency is emphasized.

Activities

VÖÖ is working in research groups and organizes annual conferences,VÖÖ: Tagungen, accessed February 25, 2015. workshops and releases publications such as a series of discussion papers and books.Corinna Burkhart: Who says what is absurd? A case study on being(s) in an alternative normality. Vereinigung für Ökologische Ökonomie e.V., Heidelberg 2015, (PDF, 1.1 MB).Dirk Posse: Zukunftsfähige Unternehmen in einer Postwachstumsgesellschaft. Eine theoretische und empirische Untersuchung. Vereinigung für Ökologische Ökonomie e.V., Heidelberg 2015, (PDF, 1 MB ).Veröffentlichungen der VÖÖ, accessed February 25, 2015. From October 2010 on, VÖÖ supports students and practitioners via the Netzwerk Wachstumswende.Netzwerk Wachstumswende, accessed February 25, 2015.Netzwerk Wachstumswende, accessed February 25, 2015.

The current presidentsVorstand der VÖÖ, accessed October 25, 2019. are and Erik Wolf, former presidents include , , Eva Lang, , Niko Paech and Gerhard Scherhorn.Board of Vereinigung für Ökologische Ökonomie: 2010–12, 2012–14, 2014–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, current. Well known members are ,Adelheid Biesecker at nachhaltigkeit-neu-denken.de, archived at Internet Archive on March 26, 2008. , Niko Paech,Der Vorstand 2012–2014, voeoe.de, accessed November 15, 2016. and .beate-weber.de, accessed February 25, 2015. Hans-Peter Dürr,Hans-Peter Dürr, 7.10.1929 – 18.05.2014, voeoe.de, accessed February 25, 2015. , and Gerhard ScherhornNachruf auf Gerhard Scherhorn 21.2.1930 – 28.2.2018, Vereinigung für Ökologische Ökonomie, accessed October 25, 2019. were founder members. who deceased November 2010 was honorary chairwoman of the society.Christiane Busch-Lüty, voeoe.de, accessed February 25, 2015.

Research prizes Between 1998 and 2002, VÖÖ granted together with Schweisfurth-Stiftung the biennal Schweisfurth-Forschungspreis für Ökologische Ökonomie, a research prize for contributions in the field of ecological economics. Laureates were , Ralf Weiß, , Daniel Dahm and Stefanie Böge.Aktivitäten: Forschungspreis. In: voeoe.de, archived at Internet Archive on July 21, 2004.Weshalb der Nachhaltigkeitsdiskurs in Deutschland eine „Mutter“ hat... (PDF; 389 kB), essay on , oekom, page 3. Since 2004, VÖÖ grants together with several charitable foundations the biennal Kapp-Forschungspreis für Ökologische Ökonomie im remembrance of Karl William Kapp.Kapp-Forschungspreis. In: voeoe.de, accessed February 25, 2015.Karl Wilhelm Kapp, accessed February 25, 2015. Laureates were and Dagmar Vinz (2004), Niko Paech and (2006), Fabian Scholtes and Eva Koch (2008), Lasse Loft and Oliver Stengel (2010), Gerolf Hanke and Anja Humburg (2012), Matthias Schmelzer, Corinna Burkhart and Dirk Posse (2014), Lorenz Stör, Christian Arndt and Johannes Buhl (2016) as well as Steffen Lange, Barbara Plank and Marius Rommel. Since 2013, VÖÖ grants in remembrance of its honorary chairwoman the Christiane Busch-Lüty Förderpreis für Ökologische Ökonomie. Laureates were the sociologist Daniela Gottschlich (2013) and Tilman Santarius (2015).Christiane Busch-Lüty Förderpreis für Ökologische Ökonomie. In: voeoe.de, accessed February 25, 2015.Hohe Ehre für die Lüneburger Soziologin Daniela Gottschlich. In: Landeszeitung für die Lüneburger Heide, September 14, 2013.

Literature . Online access.

References

External links German Webseite of VÖÖ