Grassroots initiatives for sustainability transitions: Community-wide impacts and economic functioning

Community-based initiatives (CBIs) are increasingly being advanced as promoters of a systemic transition towards increased sustainability, and as leading the degrowth transformation. Prior studies have typically dealt with the potential impacts of CBIs on individuals, without necessarily reflecting on their community-wide impacts. This article aims to do both: it develops a set of indicators aimed at estimating the economic and financial impacts of a wide range of CBIs across six European countries, at both individual and community levels. The results provide insights into commonalities between CBIs, and suggest that they deliver essential services, often contribute to creating jobs within their communities, and thereby contribute positively towards community development.