Next Economies:
The Search for a New System within the Sustainability Paradigm

Global ecological crises, widening inequalities, and the decline in social well-being have rendered the limits of the dominant growth-oriented economic paradigm increasingly visible. A policy and measurement framework centered on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) largely neglects ecological degradation and social injustice. In this context, the Next Economies emerge as holistic approaches that place people and nature at the center of economic systems.

Since the industrial revolution, economic growth has been accepted as the primary indicator of societal progress. However, climate change, biodiversity loss, and deepening social inequalities reveal the unsustainability of a growth-driven economic system (Rockström et al., 2009). The world requires a new way of living. This transformation entails not only structural change but also a leap in consciousness and values. The visible face of our current civilization reflects an economic system that can be defined as the expression of a culture and social structure that no longer serves the planet or humanity. The transformation of this system is only possible through a deeper shift in underlying intentions, values, and mindsets.

At the center of neoclassical economics lies the concept of homo economicus, which assumes a rational individual who maximizes utility and prioritizes self-interest. This approach abstracts human beings from their social and ecological contexts, reducing them to mechanical components of an economic system (Polanyi, 1944). The historical narrative stretching “from cave to skyscraper” illustrates how economic thought has been shaped by cultural codes. The tension between Aristotle’s emphasis on moderation and well-being and modern economics’ pursuit of limitless growth forms the foundation of contemporary sustainability debates.

While GDP measures market-based production, it excludes domestic labor, childcare, eldercare, and ecosystem services. Moreover, the remediation of environmental destruction is recorded as positive economic activity, whereas the destruction itself remains invisible (Stiglitz, Sen and Fitoussi, 2009). The fact that wasted goods and services increase GDP highlights the shortcomings of this measurement system. For this reason, Next Economies as the economies of the future advocate for multidimensional well-being indicators and new measurement frameworks that account for ecological boundaries.

Next Economies are products of a systems-based approach aimed at enhancing human well-being within the ecological limits of the planet. This approach has evolved in diverse geographical contexts according to local conditions and has produced practical examples such as prosumer economics, love economy, wellbeing economy, economy for the common good, doughnut economics, degrowth, regenerative economy, solidarity economy, and community-based finance. The priorities of the Next Economies are also strongly aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN, 2015).

In recent years, several countries and local governments have begun developing well-being-oriented policy frameworks. New Zealand’s “Wellbeing Budget,” implemented in 2019, pioneered the alignment of public expenditures with social and ecological impact criteria (New Zealand Treasury, 2019). Countries such as Scotland, Iceland, and Wales integrate well-being indicators into policymaking processes through the Wellbeing Economy Governments (WeGO) network. Examples from Türkiye demonstrate that well-being-oriented practices are also feasible at the local level through historical and contemporary expressions such as the ahi guild tradition, prosumer economy initiatives (Good4Trust.com), cooperatives, and social enterprises.

The Next Economies represent not merely an alternative economic model, but the vanguard of a broader paradigm shift. As Buckminster Fuller suggested, rather than fighting existing realities, it is necessary to build a new model that renders the old one obsolete. Yet such transformation cannot be achieved through short-term or superficial solutions; it requires long-term, participatory, and culturally rooted change. Existing systems have already entered a phase of dissolution through inquiries grounded in responsibility for the whole. The transition toward the Next Economies is possible through a transformative journey that begins with individual consciousness and extends to interpersonal relationships, shared values, culture, social structures, and institutions. This journey—from consciousness to system—constitutes a multilayered process linking individual value transformation to institutional and political structures.

The Next Economies provide a powerful framework for sustainability debates by integrating human dignity, social justice, and ecological integrity. Moving beyond growth-centered definitions of success, these approaches center the vision of a “healthy planet, happy people,” offering a holistic response to contemporary global crises. The emerging new understanding of humanity and the systems it generates are no longer utopian ideals; they are viable and increasingly observable alternatives across different geographies.

The Sun of Humanity Foundation
The Future of Consciousness and The Consciousness of the Future Workshop 

References

Polanyi, K. (1944) The Great Transformation. New York: Rinehart.
Rockström, J. et al. (2009) ‘A safe operating space for humanity’, Nature, 461(7263), pp. 472–475.
Stiglitz, J.E., Sen, A. and Fitoussi, J.P. (2009) Report by the Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress. Paris.
UN (2015) Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. New York: United Nations.
New Zealand Treasury (2019) The Wellbeing Budget. Wellington.