As the climate change debate evolves into a larger question of creating green, equitable, principled growth—what I call “socio-ecological growth”—many argue that focusing on social justice aspects and human rights makes the problem too big and complex. But this appears to be just a smokescreen to hide inequalities and protect existing interests.
I don’t debate that the task is large. It calls for systemic change and for new alliances of actors that work at many levels and in diverse locations. It requires as well a major remobilization of resources for needed investments and social services. It needs to correct for past injustices and generate a real economy, with value for all as well as respecting the resilience of natural systems.
The key issue, however, is that a future where we have achieved socio-ecological growth with only civil society and government action — too often the only actors seen as relevant — is unrealistic. At the core of the solution lie new forms of conceiving and regulating the economy, of producing and consuming goods, of rethinking the role of the market and the meaning of investments. For this, the private sector needs to be part of the solution. This means that corporate sustainability, defined as business strategies that respect and protect human rights principles, and produce social, environmental and cultural value, alongside economic gains, needs to become the new business as usual.
