Sufficiency: the forgotten sustainability strategy | Joost Declercq | TEDxBrussels

Quick Overview

The forgotten sustainability strategy is Sufficiency, which focuses on doing the right things rather than just doing things right (Efficiency), because relying solely on efficiency and renewables leads to increased consumption, potentially resulting in a 4 to 5 degree Celsius temperature rise in homes and significant material carbon emissions from new construction.

Key Points: Relying only on Efficiency and Renewables leads to a significant increase in total energy use, potentially causing a 4 to 5 degree Celsius temperature rise in homes over 40 years. The building sector contributes 40% of global CO2 emissions and 30% of global waste, highlighting the need for systemic change beyond just energy efficiency. The speaker advocates for the third strategy, Sufficiency, which questions what we truly need, exemplified by retrofitting existing buildings instead of building new ones. Retrofitting existing buildings, like the Greenpeace office or the former Fabrimetal headquarters in Brussels, can be done effectively without demolishing or using excessive new materials. Efficiency (doing things right) and Sufficiency (doing the right things) are interconnected; for example, a 1-degree Celsius temperature reduction in homes can yield 5% to 10% energy savings. The presentation emphasizes that the climate urgency demands that we avoid errors, suggesting that current efforts focused only on efficiency and renewables are insufficient to meet the 1.5°C target.

Context: Joost Declercq presents at TEDxBrussels on the three core strategies for sustainability in the built environment: Efficiency, Renewables, and Sufficiency. He argues that the first two alone are insufficient to meet climate goals, pointing to historical data showing rising energy use despite efficiency gains. The talk contrasts building new structures with retrofitting existing ones, using examples like the Greenpeace office and a former factory converted into offices in Belgium, to advocate for a fundamental shift in mindset toward sufficiency.