Demanding Sustainability: Pillars to (Re-)Build a Shared Prosperity

Description

Longer term thinking and new approaches to development and prosperity have never been more urgently required. Since 2020, the precarity of the global economy, links between ecological destruction and public health and disparities in levels of exposure and vulnerability to systemic disruption have all been thrown into stark relief. In this book the authors put forward a series of principles on which economic and development policy for the post-Covid era should be developed. These are outlined as five 'pillars' through which to (re-)build a shared prosperity in the aftermath of the Covid-19 global shock. The five pillars are an ecological prosperity (pillar one), a decarbonized economy (pillar two), a shared (cost) burden (pillar three), a transformative social sustainability (pillar four) and a just resilience (pillar five). The book provides a framework through which policymakers, decision-makers, politicians, community groups and the corporate sphere might begin to consider, map out, and plan for just transitions in their domains. Foreword Acknowledgements Contents Notes on Contributors Abbreviations List of Figures List of Tables List of Boxes 1 Introduction From Crisis to Opportunity Demanding Sustainability Structure of the Volume Defining Pillars for Shared Sustainable Prosperity: Theoretical Framing Overview of Theoretical Framing Strong Sustainability Critical Pragmatism Socio-Technical Transitions Just Sustainabilities and Just Transitions Transdisciplinarity References 2 An Ecological Prosperity (Pillar One) Resource Over/Under-Consumption Defining the Limits Sustainable Development Goals Delivering Pillar One References 3 A Decarbonized Economy (Pillar Two) A Frightening Emissions Gap Economy as a Driver of Ecological Degradation Systemic Change Green New Deal Transformative Levels of Investment Delivering Pillar Two References 4 A Shared (Cost) Burden (Pillar Three) Carbon Injustice Unsustainable Cost Burdens Paying up for Climate Action Delivering Pillar Three References 5 A Transformative Social Sustainability (Pillar Four) Recognizing the Social Domain Justice Principles Social Innovation Delivering Pillar Four References 6 A Just Resilience (Pillar Five) Existential Risks ‘Bounce Forward’ Sustainability Targeting ‘Just Disruptions’ Delivering Pillar Five References 7 Implementing the Pillars: Towards Shared Sustainable Prosperity Linking the Pillars Integrated Responses to the Climate Crisis Justice as an Instrument of Transition, Sustainability and Resilience Capacity Building for Resilience The Importance of Geography The Challenge(s) Ahead References 8 Conclusions Seizing the Moment Bouncing Forward Getting the Job Done References Index