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An environmental contract is a concept that expresses the rights and responsibilities of citizens, businesses and the state when it comes to the environment. The term aims to outline a framework of mutual obligations for managing environmental impacts, addressing both global and local environmental issues.
It is not known who invented the term. The British politician David Miliband used it when he was appointed Secretary of State for the Environment in May 2006, both in his blog, [1] and in an article [2] on the BBC News website. He initiated the launch of a wiki, [3] to form an environmental contract. However, the site was edited heavily by Government officials, rendering pointless the exercise to interact with the public.
While the origins of the term are not entirely clear, it is often compared to the social contract, a philosophical idea that outlines the relationship between individuals, society and the sate. The environmental contract draws parallels with this notion, aiming to establish responsibilities for addressing environmental degradation, similar to how the social contract addresses societal welfare and justice.
The term can be seen as an invitation to invite parallels with the idea of a social contract between workers, employers and the state which underpinned the foundation of the welfare state. Some have argued that, just as the social contract was a way of addressing social dislocation, so the environmental contract can be a way of addressing the environmental impacts which pose a threat to people and the planet in the 21st century.
The environmental contract has been explored as a means to implement sustainability practices in various sectors. One example is the European Union's Growth Strategy, particularly the Europe 2020 framework, which advocates for a sustainable low-carbon economy and addresses environmental concerns in the context of economic growth. In this case, the EU envisions a collective commitment between governments, businesses, and citizens to work towards sustainability goals, which can be seen as an extension of the environmental contract concept.
Another example is found in corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, where companies commit to reducing their environmental footprint and engaging with communities to promote sustainability. Many businesses now align their practices with global sustainability standards, reflecting the principles of the environmental contract by acknowledging their role in environmental preservation.
Environmental citizenship (EC) is a concept related to environmental contract, and is defined as the responsible pro-environmental behavior of citizens who act and participate in society as agents of change in the private and public sphere, on a local, national and global scale, through individual and collective actions, in the direction of solving contemporary environmental problems, preventing the creation of new environmental problems, achieving sustainability as well as developing a healthy relationship with nature. [4]
Environmental citizenship includes the exercise of environmental rights and duties, as well as the identification of the underlying structural causes of environmental degradation and environmental problems, the development of the willingness and the competences for critical and active engagement and civic participation to address those structural causes, acting individually and collectively within democratic means, and taking into account inter- and intra-generational justice. [4] Environmental citizenship is a key factor in EU's growth strategy (Europe 2020) and its vision for Sustainable Development, Green and Cycle economy and Low-carbon society (EU-roadmap 2050). [5]
Because of its emphasis on rights and responsibilities, there are clear links between the environmental contract and notions of environmental citizenship. EC may shed light on the research of environmental contract into the way publics are built in everyday settings, if it is built firmly around the notions of justice, knowledge and language. [6]
Despite its appeal, the environmental contract concept faces criticism. Some argue that the notion of reciprocal obligations (i.e., "I will act if you act") is insufficient when addressing urgent environmental issues, such as climate change. Advocates for stronger action assert that sustainability efforts should not depend on reciprocal actions from others but rather be driven by the intrinsic urgency of environmental crises. This perspective suggests that an "I will, regardless of what you do" approach may be more responsible when confronting pressing environmental threats.
Additionally, some critics point out that the environmental contract, like its social counterpart, may fail to address the underlying structural causes of environmental degradation, such as overconsumption, industrial practices, and inequitable economic systems. As a result, while the environmental contract may promote cooperation, it may not fully address the systemic changes required to ensure long-term environmental sustainability.
The environmental contract is a framework that provides a basis for mutual responsibility amongst individuals, businesses, and governments in addressing environmental challenges. While it has inspired both policy discussions and corporate commitments to sustainability, it is also subject to criticism regarding its ability to drive meaningful change. Nonetheless, it remains an important concept in discussions about environmental governance, with connections to environmental citizenship and sustainability efforts globally.
Sustainable development is an approach to growth and human development that aims to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The aim is to have a society where living conditions and resources meet human needs without undermining planetary integrity. Sustainable development aims to balance the needs of the economy, environment, and social well-being. The Brundtland Report in 1987 helped to make the concept of sustainable development better known.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is a ministerial department of the government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the entire United Kingdom. Concordats set out agreed frameworks for cooperation, between it and the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive, which have devolved responsibilities for these matters in their respective nations.
The triple bottom line is an accounting framework with three parts: social, environmental and economic. Some organizations have adopted the TBL framework to evaluate their performance in a broader perspective to create greater business value. Business writer John Elkington claims to have coined the phrase in 1994.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) or corporate social impact is a form of international private business self-regulation which aims to contribute to societal goals of a philanthropic, activist, or charitable nature by engaging in, with, or supporting professional service volunteering through pro bono programs, community development, administering monetary grants to non-profit organizations for the public benefit, or to conduct ethically oriented business and investment practices. While once it was possible to describe CSR as an internal organizational policy or a corporate ethic strategy similar to what is now known today as Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG); that time has passed as various companies have pledged to go beyond that or have been mandated or incentivized by governments to have a better impact on the surrounding community. In addition, national and international standards, laws, and business models have been developed to facilitate and incentivize this phenomenon. Various organizations have used their authority to push it beyond individual or industry-wide initiatives. In contrast, it has been considered a form of corporate self-regulation for some time, over the last decade or so it has moved considerably from voluntary decisions at the level of individual organizations to mandatory schemes at regional, national, and international levels. Moreover, scholars and firms are using the term "creating shared value", an extension of corporate social responsibility, to explain ways of doing business in a socially responsible way while making profits.
A green economy is an economy that aims at reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities, and that aims for sustainable development without degrading the environment. It is closely related with ecological economics, but has a more politically applied focus. The 2011 UNEP Green Economy Report argues "that to be green, an economy must not only be efficient, but also fair. Fairness implies recognizing global and country level equity dimensions, particularly in assuring a Just Transition to an economy that is low-carbon, resource efficient, and socially inclusive."
The European Structural and Investment Funds are financial tools governed by a common rulebook, set up to implement the regional policy of the European Union, as well as the structural policy pillars of the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy. They aim to reduce regional disparities in income, wealth and opportunities. Europe's poorer regions receive most of the support, but all European regions are eligible for funding under the policy's various funds and programmes. The current framework is set for a period of seven years, from 2021 to 2027.
The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) is one of the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIFs), which are dedicated to improving social cohesion and economic well-being across the regions of the Union. The funds are redistributive financial instruments that support cohesion within Europe by concentrating spending on the less-developed regions.
Sustainable procurement or green procurement is a process whereby organizations meet their needs for goods, services, works and utilities in a way that achieves value for money on a life-cycle basis while addressing equity principles for sustainable development, therefore benefiting societies and the environment across time and geographies. Procurement is often conducted via a tendering or competitive bidding process. The process is used to ensure the buyer receives goods, services or works for the best possible price, when aspects such as quality, quantity, time, and location are compared. Procurement is considered sustainable when organizations broadens this framework by meeting their needs for goods, services, works, and utilities in a way that achieves value for money and promotes positive outcomes not only for the organization itself but for the economy, environment, and society.
Sustainability is a social goal for people to co-exist on Earth over a long period of time. Definitions of this term are disputed and have varied with literature, context, and time. Sustainability usually has three dimensions : environmental, economic, and social. Many definitions emphasize the environmental dimension. This can include addressing key environmental problems, including climate change and biodiversity loss. The idea of sustainability can guide decisions at the global, national, organizational, and individual levels. A related concept is that of sustainable development, and the terms are often used to mean the same thing. UNESCO distinguishes the two like this: "Sustainability is often thought of as a long-term goal, while sustainable development refers to the many processes and pathways to achieve it."
Green growth is a concept in economic theory and policymaking used to describe paths of economic growth that are environmentally sustainable. It is based on the understanding that as long as economic growth remains a predominant goal, a decoupling of economic growth from resource use and adverse environmental impacts is required. As such, green growth is closely related to the concepts of green economy and low-carbon or sustainable development. A main driver for green growth is the transition towards sustainable energy systems. Advocates of green growth policies argue that well-implemented green policies can create opportunities for employment in sectors such as renewable energy, green agriculture, or sustainable forestry.
A circular economy is a model of resource production and consumption in any economy that involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible. The concept aims to tackle global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution by emphasizing the design-based implementation of the three base principles of the model. The main three principles required for the transformation to a circular economy are: designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems. CE is defined in contradistinction to the traditional linear economy.
Sustainable products are products either sustainably sourced, manufactured or processed and provide environmental, social, and economic benefits while protecting public health and the environment throughout their whole life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials to the final disposal.
The environmental sustainability problem has proven difficult to solve. The modern environmental movement has attempted to solve the problem in a large variety of ways. But little progress has been made, as shown by severe ecological footprint overshoot and lack of sufficient progress on the climate change problem. Something within the human system is preventing change to a sustainable mode of behavior. That system trait is systemic change resistance. Change resistance is also known as organizational resistance, barriers to change, or policy resistance.
Soil governance refers to the policies, strategies, and the processes of decision-making employed by nation states and local governments regarding the use of soil. Globally, governance of the soil has been limited to an agricultural perspective due to increased food insecurity from the most populated regions on earth. The Global Soil Partnership, GSP, was initiated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and its members with the hope to improve governance of the limited soil resources of the planet in order to guarantee healthy and productive soils for a food-secure world, as well as support other essential ecosystem services.
Global citizenship education (GCED) is a form of civic learning that involves students' active participation in projects that address global issues of a social, political, economic, or environmental nature. The two main elements of GCE are 'global consciousness'; the moral or ethical aspect of global issues, and 'global competencies', or skills meant to enable learners to participate in changing and developing the world. The promotion of GCE was a response by governments and NGOs to the emergence of supranational institution, regional economic blocs, and the development of information and communications technologies. These have all resulted in the emergence of a more globally oriented and collaborative approach to education. GCE addresses themes such as peace and human rights, intercultural understanding, citizenship education, respect for diversity and tolerance, and inclusiveness.
Corporate environmental responsibility (CER) refers to a company's duties to abstain from damaging natural environments. The term derives from corporate social responsibility (CSR).
The European Green Deal, approved in 2020, is a set of policy initiatives by the European Commission with the overarching aim of making the European Union (EU) climate neutral in 2050. The plan is to review each existing law on its climate merits, and also introduce new legislation on the circular economy (CE), building renovation, biodiversity, farming and innovation.
Sustainable Development Goal 13 is to limit and adapt to climate change. It is one of 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. The official mission statement of this goal is to "Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts". SDG 13 and SDG 7 on clean energy are closely related and complementary.
The term polycrisis, originally coined by French philosopher and sociologist Edgar Morin in his 1993 book Terre-Patrie, describes a complex situation where multiple, interconnected crises converge and amplify each other, resulting in a predicament which is difficult to manage or resolve. Unlike single crises which may have clear causes and solutions, a polycrisis involves overlapping and interdependent issues, making it a more pervasive and enduring state of instability. This concept reflects growing concerns about the sustainability and viability of contemporary socio-economic, political, and ecological systems.
Environmental maritime crime constitutes one of the key components of the broader domain of blue crime, and it describes and includes activities that detrimentally impact the marine environment. Its effects have had extremely deleterious impacts on marine life, both in terms of affecting marine ecosystems and the life quality of coastal citizens, with damages that are often not reparable.
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