Right Livelihood is deeply saddened by the passing of 1982 Laureate Erik Dammann, a pioneer in questioning consumerism and promoting sustainable ways of living. Dammann passed away on June 21, 2025, at the age of 94.
He received the Right Livelihood Award “for challenging Western values and lifestyles in order to promote a more responsible attitude to the environment and the third world.”
Born in Norway in 1931, Dammann began his career in design and advertising before becoming disillusioned with consumerism. A year spent with his family in Polynesia inspired him to seek alternatives to Western lifestyles based on competition and material growth. He went on to found the organisation Future in Our Hands, which quickly grew into a mass movement with over 25,000 members in Norway and sister organisations around the world.
Dammann authored 16 books translated into seven languages, including The Future in Our Hands and Revolution in the Affluent Society. He was also instrumental in initiatives such as the Nordic Alternative Futures Project and the Development Fund, which has supported projects in more than 20 countries. In 2011, he was knighted by The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav, the country’s highest civilian honour.
“We mourn the loss of Erik Dammann, who inspired thousands to rethink their relationship with consumption and the environment,” said Ole von Uexkull, Executive Director of the Right Livelihood. “We send our condolences to Dammann’s family and loved ones.”
Kajsa Övergaard, member of Right Livelihood’s Board, reflected on Dammann’s lasting impact: “I will continue to celebrate Erik Dammann’s work, which was truly important to me already in the early 1980s. I read his books as a young student, joined the Swedish branch of Future in Our Hands and decided to spend my life contributing to issues around justice and living in harmony with nature.”
Future in Our Hands has also published an obituary in Norwegian, available on their website.
