Degrowing a synthetic world: A critical realist perspective on petrochemical transformation

Joachim Peter Tilsted

Environmental Values, 2026, vol. 35, issue 3, 204-225

Abstract: To contain the triple planetary crises associated with fossil-based plastics and chemicals, numerous actors, including a wide range of states, call for a downscaling of primary plastic production. In this light, a material degrowth of the production of plastics and plastic chemicals appears not only ecologically imperative but also within grasp politically. In this paper, I examine the deep-seated challenges that this apparent possibility faces. Drawing on central tenets of critical realist philosophy, I discuss the prospects of a degrowth transformation of the petrochemical industry. By informing the analysis with critical realism, I bring into focus structures that simultaneously guide and extend beyond sectoral developments and which are not undone by capping petrochemical production globally, qualifying the pursuit of material degrowth on a sector-by-sector basis.

Keywords: Petrochemicals; critical realism; plastics; industrial transformation; degrowth (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09632719251357480 (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:envval:v:35:y:2026:i:3:p:204-225

DOI: 10.1177/09632719251357480

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Environmental Values
Bibliographic data for series maintained by SAGE Publications ().