Why is growth for growth’s sake not sustainable?
As the global COP29 community gathers in Baku, Azerbaijan, we continue to hear and see the growing impacts of climate change negatively impacting communities and their livelihoods around the world and in new and unexpected places. The disruption and devastation caused by slow progress to address the root causes of our relationship with our planet, its climate and nature is now undeniable.
Our current system is broken and exacerbates the inequalities we face within our species. However, we must be sure that we live within our planetary boundaries, including its rising “heat.” We have inherited an economic structure that prioritizes extraction, profit maximization and sustainable growth over human well-being and the survival of living systems on our planet. I’m not saying all profit is “bad”, but what you do with it and how we perceive the relationship of the economy to society and the environment is. Growth for growth’s sake is unsustainable and continues to widen the economic gap between rich and poor, and we all know that those least responsible for climate change are the most affected. But somehow this paradox is not fully taken into account when we make decisions about how to solve the main obstacles to collective improvement. Those on the front lines of the climate crisis are those whose livelihoods often depend on a sustainable natural environment, while also demonstrating the best innovations in using nature-based solutions. Maximizing nature-people-climate synergies, critically diversifying communities’ livelihoods, and building resilience to future shocks and stresses are essential for sustainable human well-being.
He is participating in the Climate Change Summit held in Bucharest, the capital of Romania
I was invited to represent them last month People and Planet First too Climate Change Summit Bucharest, Romania. Bringing an international and optimistic perspective to the fourth edition of the nationally centered arena sandwiched between them New York Climate Week and biodiversity and climate COPs. My interventions include ensuring the integration of marginalized voices, particularly youth and Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPs and LCs), into decision-making, and acknowledging the natural climate anxiety felt by many who oscillate between hope and despair for our future. I then spoke to people about ensuring that we shift our thinking from sustainability to regeneration, because just going ahead is no longer enough and we need both our prosperity and economic sustainability to future proof all aspects of your life.
Let’s rethink our economic structures
Embracing these trends also makes clear business sense on many levels, whether B2C, B2B or B2G, with the next wave of consumers/buyers prioritizing purpose in their decision-making, increasing the power of purposeful purchasing. But for the big long-term win, it’s not enough to assume that purpose equals profit. Fundamentally, our whole relationship with commerce needs revolution, investing finance and energy in the pure vision of purposeful companies increases monetary returns and actually hinders our ability to drive real change. He does not question or challenge basic assumptions about finance and growth. People and Planet First focus on vetting and connecting businesses that exist to solve social and planetary challenges, along with primarily self-sustaining business models.
There are more globally 10 million social enterprises putting purpose above profit and as a global collective we are all part of a global movement accelerating the transition to a new economic narrative where those least responsible for the degradation of the planet and the resulting climate crisis are best supported not only to survive but also to thrive. . People and Planet First certified businesses exist to address social and environmental issues. They have self-sustaining revenue models, reinvest a large portion of any surplus into their goals, avoid extractive funding, and have a structure that protects their goals over time. They are distributive and restorative by design and unlock social and environmental solutions not easily possible in grant-dependent nonprofit structures or profit-maximizing business structures. They reinvest in their communities and the problems they are trying to solve. They scale by collaborating with others. They need to make a profit to be self-sustaining, but financial growth is not the driver. Together, they co-create an economy that legitimately puts people and the planet first.
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Procurement as a lever for positive change
Procurement is one of the most important points of influence in this transition. Choosing to purchase products and services from these businesses often has direct social and environmental benefits, such as ending homelessness, supporting refugees, empowering women and providing clean water to recycle plastic waste, accelerating the transition to renewable energy, and restoring ecosystems. It provides income that is reinvested to ensure original sustainability and expand its impact. Gives around corporate philanthropy 20 billion dollars annually to non-profit organizations that rely on their good will, but is around global procurement 105 dollars trillion per year. If we shifted even 1% of our purchases to businesses that put people and the planet first, it would transform a trillion dollars in social and environmental solutions and make a significant contribution to addressing the inequities of the global climate crisis.
In addition, acquisitions also have systemic effects, as these businesses tend to collaborate with and source from others who share common values. Each purchase directs funds into the emerging economy where they continue to circulate. It supports the development of new value chains, creates opportunities for new initiatives, strengthens support networks and builds a community committed to collective action. Research shows that when you spend $1 at one of these businesses, you get $4.25 in local impact and benefit. If you spend the same dollar with a large corporation, you will generate $0.70 in local benefit.
The power of purpose-built enterprises
Among the growing number of People and Planet First certified businesses are a large number of diverse examples offering tangible solutions to the climate and environmental crisis. They recycle, recycle and repurpose; they campaign for greener policies by influencing the behavior of other businesses. And they shift the balance of power, giving communities the tools they need to protect their livelihoods from climate ravages; to be part of the solution, not part of the problem, and to take others with them. The combination of this growing movement gives hope that there are more and more people who recognize this work as usual.
as WeWilder While I was in Romania, I had the privilege of visiting and seeing People and Planet First in action. Personally, it was a very inspiring full circle experience during my time at WWF. Nature pays In the program, I supported the conceptualization of this inspiring social enterprise from afar, and seeing it fully succeed in harmony with nature confirmed with my own eyes that it is a viable business model and the right path to follow. WeWilder is a pioneering social enterprise in the foothills of the Sharku Mountains, led by the Armenian community. WWF-Romania. It is an ecotourism center that brings people closer to wildlife with over 200 free-roaming bison. By capturing learnings from implementing this IP and LC-led conservation community enterprise, it facilitates the replication of similar self-sustaining target business models nationally and globally, and also supports the collection of evidence to influence local, national policy. and global levels. Changing hearts and minds one at a time to enable a more balanced existence. Contributing to a favorable climate solution while ensuring sustainability for the livelihoods of many in this beautiful part of Romania.
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You can see many more examples of successfully certified People and Planet First enterprises online directorywith multiple priorities and not only successfully exploiting the economic potential of the environment and nature, but also reducing societal inequalities, including climate justice.
While the scale of the problem and the barriers to change may seem overwhelming at times, together we have the power to adapt. I’m not just referring to CSR cues or focusing on how to leverage the environmental agenda for business efficiency, but we’re reworking our entire business approach. We need to be honest about the limitations of our current business structure to meet our full needs. Along with the growing social procurement demands of big business; by proactively seeking verifiable targeted suppliers, these changes in business dynamics can be used to positively contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation and create a trickle-down effect for those most affected. But if we’re serious about protecting our future prosperity and our home, we need to do things differently, and I hope you’ll join us on this transformative journey, because the current challenges we face are too big for one organization to solve alone.
