Planning for growth or degrowth in energy transitions – a case study of Gotland, Sweden

There seem to be increased concern that planning for ‘sustainable development’ and ‘green growth’ will fail to hinder climate, environmental and social catastrophe. Degrowth scholars explore alternative trajectories for sustainability planning, focusing on radically reduced resource use by voluntary downshifting. This study contributes to the growing field of degrowth planning research. This case study of the Swedish island region Gotland, and the local energy transition project Austerland Energy (AE), use qualitative analysis of selected documents, and interviews with civil society and politicians, to explore alternative trajectories in planning for sustainable energy systems in a growth-oriented planning paradigm. The results show some preconditions for degrowth planning, such as abundant natural resources, close-knit communities and possibility for interconnected ‘urban’ – and ‘eco-villages’. However, ‘green growth’ ultimately dominates, as sustainability is used for place-branding, behaviour change is seen as unlikely, and Gotland’s energy transition seems to rely on ‘techno-fixes’. The large share of part-time residents make Gotland depend on mainland transportation, and cement, agriculture and tourism industries further complicate Gotland’s transition. However, the degrowth-aligning results highlight potential for planners to enhance transformative planning, with focus on localized energy – and food systems, and better conditions for full-time dwelling on Gotland.