What is degrowth?

6 Minute English

BBC

Language Learning, Education

4.6 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 24 July 2025

⏱️ 7 minutes

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Summary

Should we shrink the economy to save the planet? Today, Phil is joined by Hannah from BBC podcast What in the world who explains the idea of degrowth.

Find a full transcript, worksheet and interactive quiz for this episode at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2025/ep-250724

Watch episodes of What in the World on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxxrFOqY6Iw&list=PLz_B0PFGIn4eMOlGZclzdcHmv7s8BFQE6 Or listen here https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w13xtvrv

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Get the ultimate podcast experience on our website.
0:03.6	Find transcripts and subtitles to help you understand.
0:07.1	Try worksheets and quizzes to test what you've learned
0:09.7	and use our handy vocabulary lists to help you study.
0:13.3	Plus find video series like the London to Edinburgh Challenge
0:17.8	and the pronunciation lounge to improve your English skills.
0:21.7	It's all available at BBClearningEnglish.com.
0:25.9	Six Minute English from BBC learningenglish.com.
0:31.8	Hello and welcome to Six Minute English from BBC Learning English.
0:36.9	I'm Phil and today we have Hannah
0:39.0	joining us again from BBC podcast What in the World. Welcome Hannah. Hey Phil, it is so great to be back
0:46.2	here. So I'm wondering, do you do things that you think are good for the planet? Oh, I try, but I don't think I do enough. So maybe I cycle more
0:58.3	than I drive and I try to recycle things, but I should be doing a lot more. But some people
1:05.4	think that to deal with climate change, we can't just rely on individuals. Phil, it's not up to you and me.
1:13.3	We need to actually change the way our economy works. And this is an idea called de-growth.
1:19.2	And we've been investigating it at what in the world. And we're going to learn a bit more about it today.
1:24.2	But first, our quiz question. World leaders promised in 2015 to limit
1:30.0	global temperature rises. But what was the limit they agreed to? Was it A, 1.5 degrees Celsius,
1:38.7	B, 2.5 degrees Celsius, or C, 3.5 degrees Celsius.
1:45.2	I think I know this one, Phil.
1:47.5	I think it's 1.5 degrees Celsius.
1:51.3	Oh, okay.
	...

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