Degrowth through Energy Law: Using the legal framework for electricity batteries in Europe to achieve a degrowth-focused energy law

Integrating Degrowth into the law: the case of batteries

Adopting a degrowth economy is essential for restoring Earth as a safe operating space for humanity. Degrowth involves a planned reduction in energy and resource use to align the economy with ecological limits while reducing inequality and enhancing well-being. The ERC-funded DELaw project will work to embed degrowth principles within legal frameworks to drive meaningful societal change. Through interdisciplinary analysis of EU and Member States’ energy laws, the project will focus on energy storage regulations, particularly for batteries. DELaw will develop a new framework for integrating degrowth principles into the law, test it with EU battery regulations and provide recommendations to EU and national lawmakers for degrowth-oriented legal amendments as environmental challenges grow.