The Netherlands may hit the limits of growth
3 November 2022
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The country has 507 people per sq km, nearly five times the EU average, while liveable land is shrinking due to climate change
Description
Over-construction and understaffing are now global problems, but they are particularly acute in the Netherlands. The country has run out of space and staff. A recession may temporarily loosen the jobs market, but the problem was acute pre-pandemic and will simply resurface whenever growth resumes. The Netherlands is probably the first country to hit the limits of economic growth.
The trading nation with Europe’s biggest port experienced 26 years of unbroken economic growth until 2008, then a world record. Now it tops ETH Zurich’s KOF Globalisation Index as the world’s most globalised country.
Relevance
Do rich countries need more carbon-emitting growth? How might we rethink the growth mindset as economies reach their limits?
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Vision
EIT Manufacturing vision for the future of Manufacturing in Europe in 2030, called ‘Fixing Our Future
Enablers
Enablers for future change and actions to make the vision, as described in Fixing Our Future, a reali
Signals
A knowledge library of over 100 signals of change, as examples of emerging manifestations towards the
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