Sustainability Language

Sustainability Language

Doughnut economics

Kate Raworth's framework (2012/2017) picturing a "safe and just space for humanity" between a social foundation and an ecological ceiling.

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Definition

Doughnut economics is a visual framework for sustainable development created by economist Kate Raworth, first in a 2012 Oxfam paper and elaborated in her 2017 book. It combines an inner social foundation — twelve dimensions of human need derived from the UN Sustainable Development Goals — with an outer ecological ceiling of nine planetary boundaries. The doughnut-shaped space between them is the "safe and just space" where humanity can thrive; falling inside the ring means deprivation, overshooting it means planetary degradation.

References

Overview

What it means

A compass replacing GDP growth as the measure of progress: meet everyone's needs within the means of the living planet.

How it is used

Cities (Amsterdam and others), regions and businesses apply the Doughnut through the Doughnut Economics Action Lab's tools and "portraits"; a 2025 Nature study quantified global shortfall and overshoot over 2000–2022.

Why it matters

The Doughnut is the most widely adopted framework for operationalising "wellbeing within planetary boundaries" at policy level.

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