Bold claim first: the global economy must stop pandering to the frivolous desires of the ultra-rich if we want a fair, sustainable future for everyone. And this is where the discussion gets really important: the way we measure and grow our economy shapes real lives. A top UN expert says it’s time to reorder priorities so ordinary people—not the wealthiest individuals and multinational corporations—benefit from scarce resources.
Olivier De Schutter, the UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, argues that politicians have been doubling down on growth that is socially and ecologically damaging. This kind of growth steadily increases profits for the elite and fuels consumption patterns that don’t translate into meaningful improvements for most people. Instead of chasing endless expansion, he calls for a fresh economic agenda that can address intertwined crises—rising inequality, ecological strain, and the resurgence of far-right politics.
He emphasizes a core principle: scarce resources should meet basic needs and create societal value, not merely satisfy luxury preferences of the ultra-rich. In his view, an economy that spends vast sums on mansions or expensive cars while neglecting social housing and affordable public transport is grossly inefficient and unable to fulfill the needs of low-income households.
This stance follows public conversations like The Guardian’s Beyond Growth series, which highlighted criticisms of an unbounded pursuit of growth that can drive ecological damage and widen inequality. De Schutter plans to publish a detailed “roadmap for eradicating poverty beyond growth” in April. The roadmap emerges from a loose coalition of UN agencies, scholars, civil society groups, and worker unions who are rethinking growth itself.
Key ideas under consideration include universal basic income, job guarantees, debt cancellation, and a steep wealth tax. Importantly, the roadmap is designed to complement two other major initiatives: (1) a UN-backed effort led by Secretary-General António Guterres to replace GDP as the sole measure of economic success, and (2) a separate report on global inequality by a G20 expert panel led by renowned economist Joseph Stiglitz.
De Schutter acknowledges that many within the UN have long endorsed moving beyond growth, but political and institutional norms have made this a delicate topic. He suggests that a new openness could emerge soon, with high-profile figures publicly reexamining growth as a central objective.
The objective, he says, is to shape a post-2030 agenda that blends planetary boundaries with social justice and concrete poverty reduction. He frames this as both a challenge and an opportunity.
A permanent UN body to oversee inequality reduction is among his proposals. Modeled after the IPCC, this new entity would monitor evidence on both the problem and potential policy tools—helping society pursue wellbeing through design that prioritizes redistribution and sustainability over destructive growth.
Support for the idea is growing across diverse groups, he notes, thanks to its bottom-up, collaborative nature.
Since taking office in 2020, De Schutter has visited many low-income and developing countries and observed a common pattern: economies pressed to pursue growth that mostly serves external buyers and debt repayment, rather than domestic needs or ecological limits. He warns this approach often leads to ecological harm, low wages, and weak investment.
His recommended shift is clear: growth should be domestically driven, with regional integration and South-South trade strengthening instead of relying on Northern-dominated global supply chains. Prioritizing ordinary people would help lift them out of poverty rather than perpetuate systems that please the ultra-rich.
For wealthier nations, the roadmap would explore financing public services and protections through taxes on wealth, financial assets, real estate, and high-risk economic activities—rather than broad, indiscriminate growth. The aim is to fund a sustainable social contract without falling into recessionary traps or artificial slowdowns.
De Schutter stresses that these proposals are grounded in credible economic thinking and supported by economists, UN bodies, unions, and NGOs. He envisions a credible alternative to the post-2030 agenda—one that respects planetary limits while advancing justice and reducing inequality. If this effort stalls, he warns, far-right movements may gain more foothold. Are you convinced this approach could work, or do you see reasons to worry about its practicality? How would you prioritize public services, growth, and redistribution in your own country?
