How Tackling Inequality Can Fight Nature Loss and Climate Change
Laura Fox
Nearly three years ago, Laura Fox, Chronos’ Specialist on Biodiversity and Agriculture, started working with leading environmentalist Tony Juniper CBE on his new book, Just Earth. It is a book that seeks to identify the social and political problems at the heart of the climate and nature crises. Here Laura provides her reflections on some of the ideas coming out of the book, and on being part of the process as a provider of additional research.
Tony was inspired to write Just Earth following a conversation in 2008 with Lena Sommestad, the former Swedish environment minister when it became clear that more equal societies were making faster progress on the environment. There is now mounting evidence which confirms Lena Sommestad’s observation; more equal societies have made more progress on both environmental and social issues. The evidence on how inequality intersects with nature loss and climate is stark.
So why have societies with greater inequality not moved as fast? It is perhaps no surprise that it is the power systems at play in these societies that perpetuate and exacerbate inequality, creating one of the main blocks to progress. Equally at play is how our psychology is manipulated to ensure individuals stay on a trajectory of consumption.
With a book that covers such a vast area of topics, I am spoilt for choice on what to cover in a short blog, so I will just share three points that tend to spark discussion:
When does GDP stop being a good marker of human development? Once you reach a certain level of economic development, life expectancy levels off and there is no longer a linear relationship between economic income and improved outcomes. As the economist Professor Tim Jackson explained, “when you look at the shape of the curve after [life expectancy levels] it tails off very quickly, with diminishing rates of return and sometimes negative rates of return.” The level of income required for significant increases in real prosperity such as better health, improved nutrition and lower infant mortality is surprisingly low, just $15-20,000 per capita. Yet we continue to focus on growing GDP at the expense of human and planetary well-being indicators.
Does greater equality reduce anxiety? In more equal societies we are less anxious, less worried about being judged, fewer of us suffer from depression, our teenagers are happier, our crime rates are lower, there are lower rates of teenage pregnancy, and our quality of life overall is better. The wealthiest in these more equal societies feel happier and less anxious than those in less equal societies. Professors Kate Pickett and Richard Wilson at the University of York, who have spent decades looking at the data on the impacts on us as individuals, and on our societies and economies have found that in more equal societies, everyone benefits. The social fabric is stronger, and people are kinder. This matters when it comes to dealing with climate change and nature loss as we will need social cohesion, trust and empathy to implement solutions.
Higher taxes do not necessarily lead to an exodus of the wealthy. Despite the popular myth, when you raise taxes on the wealthy, on the whole, they don’t leave. In the UK the last Conservative Government provided a wonderful data set for research when they gradually removed the non-dom status on our wealthiest residents. Dr Andy Summers, Associate Professor of Law at the London School of Economics looked into this and found that those born and brought up in the UK stay here and statistically they don’t move in response to taxes. He also interviewed the very wealthy and found that many were scathing of anyone who moved for tax reasons, viewing them as being unduly self-interested.
The book is supplemented by interviews with global experts, which brings each of the topics to life. We interviewed dozens of individuals, each of whom have researched and experienced these issues for decades. Names most will recognise include Johan Rockstrom, Kate Pickett, Richard Wilkinson, Bob Watson, Tim Jackson, Vandana Shiva, and Tim Lang. We also spoke to five indigenous leaders, tax experts, racial access campaigners, advertising historians, philanthropic millionaires, and financial and insurance experts.
Some of my personal highlights from the background interviews included:
I needed a strong cup of tea after the interview with Steve Waygood, a sustainable finance leader, as he eloquently described the unravelling key elements of our financial systems as the insurance industry starts to remove increasing costs and risks from its books caused by the climate crisis.
I found the interview with Rhiane Fatinikun MBE, founder of Black Girls Hike, heartbreaking and inspiring as she discussed how racism in the UK impacts access to nature.
Julia Davies, an impact investor and founding member of Patriotic Millionaires UK, and Prof. Susan Smith inspired me to see tax in a whole new light. Tax needs a PR makeover, and we need to value those that pay the most and not admire the cunning of tax dodgers who move their wealth to tax havens.
Domingo Peas, an Achur leader from the Amazon, brought the wisdom of a leader who has seen the various waves of developmental pressures and responding solutions to decades of forest loss.
Tony provides the long view on the topics being discussed. His knowledge of, and passion for, history is evident and woven throughout the book. From this historical perspective it is clear to me that our situation is not inevitable. We can choose how we shape markets and society to go beyond individual self-interest and work more effectively for our collective long-term wellbeing. There is enough of a global carbon budget for everyone to get up to a healthy standard of living. It will require the highest emitters to reduce their emissions and that brings us back around to politics. Who holds the power and hangs onto the power is interwoven with the many social and environmental dimensions of inequality. Unpicking the layers that perpetuate inequality is a pre-condition to solve the climate crises, reverse nature loss and live sustainably. Luckily Tony provides us with a way forward to do exactly that.
Just Earth is available in all good bookshops and online retailers.
