At the heart of the world’s problems lies an unsustainable economic system based on self-interest and competition that has failed to secure universal human rights for the majority world, and continues to inflict irrevocable harm on the environment. The international community must now unite around universal solutions based on the principles of cooperation, sustainability and economic sharing.
The financial crisis has forced a global recognition of the unstable,
unequal and unsustainable nature of our current development model. An opportunity now exists to build a new economic system that is genuinely democratic and people-oriented, writes Jayati Ghosh.
Thinkers and activists met in Germany to discuss the potential for an
alternative paradigm for development based on a shared interest in the
commons - a retreat that represented one of the most intensive and
sophisticated dialogues about contemporary commons ever held, writes
David Bollier.
The belief that the primary purpose of companies is to maximise profits
for shareholders has been called into question by the economic crisis. Mutual and employee-owned models of business offer an
alternative vision where democratic companies drive a happier and more
sustainable economy, says a report by Demos.
The global financial crisis has further
exposed the fundamental flaws of economic globalization. A "deglobalization"
paradigm based on shared principles of alternative economics is needed to
re-embed the economy in society, rather than having society driven by the
economy, writes Walden Bello.
As the
global and multidimensional character of environmental problems becomes clear, governments should cooperate to prevent the ‘tragedy of the
commons’. This requires taking an holistic approach to sharing natural
resources, says a report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
In the 1960s, a famous ecologist noted that humans were unable to share limited resources due to their tendency towards 'free-riding' and competition. However, can we overcome this 'Tragedy of the Commons' by reimaging the way that individuals interact? By Mark van Vugt.
Ecuador has presented a novel policy proposal to counteract the exploitation of fossil fuels
in areas of biological and cultural sensitivity. The initiative offers ideas for building a post-petroleum economy, say Alberto Acosta, Eduardo Gudynas, Esperanza Martínez, and Joseph H. Vogel.
