Pictured from left to right — Doughnut Economics creator Kate Raworth, An Taisce Director of Education and Community Action, Cathy Baxter and Director of the Centre for One Health, Dr Tony Holohan. Photo credit: Maxwells

Can Ireland adopt the principles of Doughnut Economics to build a future that prioritises both human wellbeing and ecological sustainability?

This unique event, ‘Creating a Flourishing Irish Society: Wellbeing, Sustainability & Doughnut Economics,’ took place in the beautiful setting of the 17^th century Irish Museum of Modern Art Great Hall on 3 September.

An Taisce and An Taisce’s Green Campus Programme co-hosted this World Café-style interactive afternoon exploring Doughnut Economic principals through an Irish context.

We were delighted to welcome Kate Raworth, the creator of Doughnut Economics, as keynote speaker. We were also privileged to have Dr Tony Holohan, Director of the Centre for One Health as host, lending his expertise in public health, sustainability, and climate leadership to the day’s proceedings. At the event, Cathy Baxter, An Taisce's Director of Education and Community Action explained the inter-relationships between the organisation's programmes and initiatives. How they work together creating space for community engagement and long-term commitment to environmental actions across Irish society.

YouTube Video of Kate Raworth's keynote speech is in full below. 

*Note: some browser settings might request that you enable YouTube to watch.

This gathering brought together a wide range of participants from different sectors, all eager to explore how Ireland could adopt the principles of Doughnut Economics to build a future prioritising human wellbeing alongside ecological sustainability. 

We would like to also acknowledge and thank the support and attendance of representatives from government, including from the Department of The Taoiseach and the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. We were honoured to welcome visits from both Minister Eamon Ryan and Minister Pippa Hackett over the course of the afternoon.

Pictured: Minister Eamon Ryan with Kate Raworth. Photo credit: Maxwells

Can we adopt the principals of Doughnut Economics?

The central theme of the event revolved around the possibility of Ireland creating a society where people’s essential needs are met within the planet’s environmental limits.

Dr Holohan set out in his opening remarks the importance of getting the balance between wellbeing and economic systems right.

“Challenges facing society will require leadership and innovative approaches that are interdisciplinary, collaborative and focused on the common good. One Health is one such example. It is based on a fundamental recognition of the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health. Health and wellbeing are essential assets for happiness, fulfilment for personal growth as well as vital natural resources for sustainable economic and social functioning for individuals  — and for society as a whole. The economy exists to serve our wellbeing and not the other way around.”

The event featured keynote speaker Kate Raworth, the creator of Doughnut Economics, whose innovative model seeks to reframe traditional economic priorities. Her approach challenges the conventional focus on GDP and continuous growth.

In her talk, she shared how she came to develop the concept of Doughnut Economics as a counterpoint to how economic systems are traditionally understood. “Here’s the market, the metric of concern is price and anything that falls outside of that we call an ‘externality’. So every economist is taught to talk about environmental breakdown as, ‘that’s an environmental externality’. To me this was the first reason that I thought there was no way we could do justice to the living world  — and the extraordinary damage we’re doing to her —  if we go around calling it, ‘an externality’.”

She went on to explain, “the economy is a social construct. We invent our economy. The good news is that we can reinvent it. Our societies are part of the living world. Our economies need to be aligned with how this planet works. Those are the only laws that we need to be following.”

“The economy needs to move from degenerative to regenerative. To create a more circular system that reuses and repair in industry, agriculture, transport and energy … in how we use all materials.”

“We’ve also inherited ‘divisive economies’. The rise of resources in the hands of the few. Globally, the amount of billionaires has more than doubled … Society can’t thrive in the doughnut with the scale of inequality that exists today in the world. It’s not feasible.”

“We need to move from a divisive economic design to a distributive one, where resources are shared far more equitably with everybody who co-creates them.”

Raworth's participation was instrumental in providing a clear framework for how these ideas could be practically applied in Ireland.

Designed as a World Café-style event, the day encouraged participants to share diverse perspectives on some pressing questions.

Discussions were organised around three core topics:

• National Economic Policy and Governance: How can the principles of Doughnut Economics guide national policy to foster a fairer society and drive effective climate action? Roisin Markham from Irish Doughnut Economics Network facilitated this topic with participants.

• Urban and Regional Development: How can we reimagine Ireland’s cities and regions through the lens of Doughnut Economics to promote sustainability and climate resilience? This energising discussion was facilitated by An Taisce Director Helen Shaw.

• Community-Level Action and Integration: What role can communities play in supporting biodiversity, addressing climate change, and advancing social justice through the Doughnut Economics framework? Deirdre O’Carroll from Green Campus Ireland facilitated this topic with groups of participants.

The inputs from participants were diverse and wide ranging. An Taisce is currently collating the inputs into a report which will be widely shared once this work is complete.

We would like to take the opportunity to thank all the wonderful speakers, participants, facilitators and volunteers who went above and beyond to make this event so special.

We would also like to thank the sponsors, partners and collaborators for all that they contribute.

Native Events provided sustainable environmentally friendly plastic-free event hire for the afternoon, which allies with An Taisce’s commitment to its Sustainable Development Goals.