Two types of enough: Sufficiency as a minimum and maximum

The question ‘how much is enough?’ can be related to two different kinds of thresholds: minimum and maximum levels. Two separate discussions on these levels are held within two different research fields – abstract justice theory and practical environmental science – and both use the term ‘sufficiency’ to denominate their subject. The discussion in each research field is concentrated almost exclusively on either minimum or maximum levels. It is argued instead that both are closely linked to each other and that the combination of both types of thresholds actually results in what the concept of sustainability demands. The aims here are to bring these two sufficiency debates together and to explore conceptual links as well as differences.

Context and quantification

About the policy

Area

Climate Action

Instrument

None

Intervention

None

Cost

None

Funding

None

Institutional arrangement

None

Impacts

Metadata

Lead author nameLaura Spengler
Lead author genderFemale
Lead author institutionLeuphana University
Lead author institution locationGermany
Peer reviewed?true
Grey literature?false
Type of paperResearch article
Volume25
Publication year2016
URL / DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1080/09644016.2016.1164355
Sufficiency mentioned?true