BeDonut
At local and international level
What is Doughnut Economics?
The concept
The Doughnut is a visual representation of the boundaries we must respect today: the ecological ceiling and the social foundation, between which lies the safe and just space for humanity.
It defines the space where societies can thrive — a space that is both environmentally sustainable and socially equitable.
The concept was developed by Kate Raworth, a British economist who invites us to take a fresh look at economics in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
An international movement
Following the publication of Kate Raworth’s book in 2017, a wave of enthusiasm grew around this visually clear and inspiring theory.
Today, thousands of initiatives are emerging around the world: cities, neighbourhoods, citizen movements, public authorities, and organizations are being inspired to adopt distributive and regenerative practices to move towards the safe and just space of the Doughnut.
DEAL (Doughnut Economics Action Lab) was created in 2019 to make available all the tools, training, and practical applications developed globally, in order to inspire as many actors as possible to take action.
Explore this international community on DEAL’s interactive map.
BeDonut initiative
Mission
The BeDonut initiative, led by the association RCR² (Network of Collectives in Search of Resilience), builds on the ‘BrusselsDonut’ project.
It pursues a dual objective: on one hand, to introduce and explain Doughnut theory to anyone interested, and on the other hand, to take action alongside a variety of stakeholders through local, collective, and participatory initiatives aimed at building more resilient and thriving ecological and social communities.
All outcomes, lessons, and tools created throughout this journey will be shared and made accessible to inspire and support other initiatives.
Vision
Bringing a new perspective to economics so that it serves life.
Stimulating collective action at different levels to build a desirable future in our territories within a changing world.
Out team
Barbara Goffin
BeDonut responsible
barbara@bedonut.be
Paul Vanderstraeten
BeDonut responsible
Our ecosystem
our story begins with...
In 2020, the Brussels-Capital Region launched a pioneering project to apply Doughnut Economics to its territory.
Today, it is one of the cities that has gone the furthest in implementing the model. The methodology developed in Brussels stands out for its integrated, multi-level approach:
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The macro level refers to the Brussels Doughnut Portrait, a data-driven diagnosis of the region that serves as a dashboard to guide Brussels toward the safe and just space of the Doughnut.
Explore the interactive portrait and consult the full methodology report. -
The meso level relates to the public economic transition strategy Shifting Economy, which was framed and inspired by Doughnut Economics principles.
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The micro level concerns the experimentation by numerous local businesses and organizations, adopting Doughnut principles to guide their operations.
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The nano level looks at everyday objects through the lens of Doughnut tools to reveal their hidden impacts.
To learn more about Brussels’ Doughnut journey, explore our resource library and check the “Brussels” box.
Timeline
With the support of :
