The world cannot afford for ongoing clashes in the critical mission to cut global greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. Instead, the focus needs to be on sharing net-zero transition stories that are working, not working, and how to move forward for people and the planet.
From marches against the closure of coal-fired power plants in South Africa to anti environmental, social, and governance sentiments in the U.S. to farmers strikes in Europe, net-zero efforts are at risk of becoming the next frontier of social conflict. This matters to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development because decarbonizing in a way that doesn’t harm local communities, and instead creates opportunities for them, underpins all 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
We are “nowhere near” achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This was the U.N.’s brutal conclusion last year at the news that, halfway to 2030, just 15% of the SDGs were on track. COVID-19, global instability, and the climate crisis have undoubtedly all contributed to this lack of progress. But the SDGs now face an additional challenge: The net-zero transition is increasingly under attack.
About the author
Haley St. Dennis
Haley St. Dennis is the head of just transitions at the Institute for Human Rights and Business. Haley leads IHRB’s work on responsible climate action, including JUST Stories — a two-year project dedicated to finding and elevating global stories of unique local partnerships and collaborations working to advance “just” transitions.
