This newsletter gives you highlights of selected sustainability insights that were, perhaps, too long (you) didn’t read (TLDR) or there’s just too much out there to read. The highlights presented cover insights gleaned from a global, regional (African), and national (Kenyan) perspective. Happy reading!
GLOBAL
Global Inequality – Corporate power dividing the world
Early 2024, Oxfam published its 2024 Global Inequality Report, perhaps aptly titled ‘Inequality Inc’ as it’s all about global corporate power’s concerted (stealth) erosion of equality worldwide.
Oxfam has continually raised the alarm on growing inequality, but now we are reaching a point where these extreme inequalities will become (the new) normal – the extremely wealthy few and the majority. While most people globally have felt the strain of C-19, war, cost-of-living crisis, and the climate crisis; the extremely wealthy few have gotten even wealthier. From the report, since 2020 the 5 richest men have doubled (or more) their wealth, while nearly 5 billion people have become poorer. At this rate it will take 230 years to end poverty but the first trillionaire will come into existence in 10 years. Governments have permitted the supercharging of corporate power – and monopolies are growing.
4 ways corporate power is driving inequality:
- Rewarding the wealthy, not the workers – real wages are going down, and direct profits are on the rise.
- Tax avoidance – corporate income tax is down by 50% compared to what it was in the 1980s (OECD countries), lower tax rates, tax havens, tax incentives, result in less revenue for government to deliver essential services e.g. healthcare, education, infrastructure, etc and with globalization this is especially so for the Global South.
- Privatising public services – corporate influence is pushing into the public sector hiving off vital services e.g. water, education, etc. removing any possibilities for universal, equal, quality public services.
- Exacerbating the climate crisis – the processes that are emitting significant GHG emissions are largely owned by the wealthy; and efforts to take concerted climate action are often thwarted or diluted.
Governments and citizens need to act urgently to reduce increasing inequality, its already too high in nearly every nation and globally. 3 key ways are proposed to do this:
- Revitalise the state – it’s the most effective way to counter corporate power. Governments need to take a proactive role in shaping their economies for society’s good e.g. provide ‘inequality-busting public services’ e.g. healthcare, education, food security, etc. Invest in public transport, energy, housing and other public infrastructure (not privatize). Improve transparency, oversight and accountability of public and state-owned institutions. Build capacity to enforce regulation.
- Regulate companies/corporations – Rein in corporate power, limit monopolies, promote empowering workers and communities, increase corporate taxes and tax the rich.
- Reinvent business – governments need to reinvent and repurpose the private sector to enable more equitable, better societies and countries for all (not just a few).
My two-cents: I have a sense of trepidation after reading this report. Private sector has the potential to create a better economy that works for society – after all, what is economy for if not for society’s wellbeing? What are products and services for if they aren’t for society’s wellbeing? What is government for if not to provide for the people (who put them in office), what are taxes for if not to provide equally for everyone? The few have hoodwinked the majority, perhaps like the elephant tied to a small stake.
2024 Edelman Trust Barometer
In its 24th year, this report measure the people’s trust in their institutions – government, media, business, NGOs – across 28 countries with approx. 1,000 respondents per country. Here are some interesting insights:
- Globally, governments are seen as less competent and ethical than business; but NGOs are most trusted, and the media less trusted than business. However, increasingly people believe that their government, media and business leaders are all say things they know are false and/or misleading.
- We continue to be worried about job security and cost of living, and our worries about existential fears like climate crisis, war (nuclear and information), cyber security are rising too.
- Taking into consideration that society needs innovation to solve our challenges, people trust scientists and other people like themselves more than CEOs, government leaders, journalists; to tell us the truth about an innovation.
- Ironically, (because of the earlier point) we trust business most to introduce new innovations into society (that they are safe, beneficial, accessible, understood) – more than NGOs, government, and the media. However, when it comes to innovations related to our health (gene-based medicine) and food (GMO) we definitely mistrust business.
- We want scientists and technical experts to vet and lead on implementation innovation, because we trust them more; but we also feel that scientists don’t know how to communicate to the public. Additionally, the people want to be given a voice and also control over how innovations affect their lives; after all it is people’s lives and futures at stake.
As lack of trust in institutions shifts and wanes, this is creating more complexity and polarization to innovation needed to address societal challenges.
My two-cents: I can’t help but feel the disconnect between the first article (inequality) and this one (trust). Both give me a sense that society is caught between a rock and a hard place in terms of trust for our lives and future. Many countries vote this year; time will tell if we have squeezed ourselves into an even tighter situation or created some room for us to breathe better.
AFRICA
2024 is the Year of Education for Africa
The African Union has declared 2024 as the Year of Education. The theme: Educate an African for the 21st Century and the concept note by the AU’s Department of Science Technology and Innovation, breaks down how this theme will be implemented across the continent.
Globally, the world is facing a learning crisis – two thirds of the world’s 10 year olds aren’t able to read or understand simple text; education systems are failing children everywhere. Foundational skills – numeracy, writing, socio-emotional skills – are not always part of national curriculum.
On the African continent, despite improvement in school enrollment and completion rates, countries are falling behind the SDG 4 – quality education for all – commitment.
The focus areas for the Year of Education are:
- Education and skills development from early childhood education to tertiary, vocational and life-long learning
- Transformational strategies for education on the continent
- Closing the gap on education financing
- Role of and support to teachers as agents of change
Across the continent, UNICEF will also leverage its expertise to support this year’s AU theme with a focus on early childhood education.
A recent UNESCO white paper highlights that the world needs a new social contract for education that considers the relationship to between humanity and a living planet. The 21st Century will require new thinking and ways of doing this.
My two-cents: A concerted Pan-African focus on education for the 21st Century makes sense for governments, business and citizens/society at large. The level and quality of education shapes the future of a country – it may seem obvious, but clearly it isn’t. So before we all shift gear to ‘green, climate action, emissions, nature’ let’s take a step back and remember that we need millions of suitably educated Africans to develop Africa’s solutions at community, national and regional level, and create the African future we want (Africa’s Agenda 2063).
KENYA
The Tension Between Protecting Nature and Progressing Development
The Aberdare Range (a forest and mountain range) in Central Kenya is at the centre of this dilemma.
The government intends to expand and build a 52km tarmac road through the Aberdare National Park and Forest – a nationally environmentally protected area, and with pressure from the leadership, NEMA issued the license for construction.
On the other hand, the Aberdare range is home to one of Kenya’s key water sources systems – which feeds Lake Naivasha and provides over half of the water consumed in Nairobi. It is also one of the 5 key electricity generation sources for the country; as well as having extensive natural forests, and wildlife e.g. elephants, rhino and the critically endangered Bongo.
Modernising the road in question, will better connect both sides of the Range improving infrastructure, access to trade and transport, and open up the area. However, environmentalists like the Conservation Alliance of Kenya (CAK) disagree on the location of the road, given its potential environmental and eco-system services impact e.g of the 104 hectare of bamboo, forest and moorland would be destroyed. The CAK has gone to the Environmental Tribunal to halt the construction.
An alternative road has been proposed by environmental experts and civil society groups. This alternate road can be upgraded from earth to all weather, is 17km shorter, cheaper by Kshs 1 billion and with significantly less environmental impact – this is supported by both environmental experts and civil society groups.
The matter is now with the courts, and with government leadership to decide.
My two-cents: As a developing country, the debate between nature and development will increase – with the reality of biodiversity decline and the climate crisis; and the imperative to provide a decent life for all citizens. There’s the tension between the needs of today, and impacts that will only become truly evident in future. We cannot underestimate the importance of biodiversity and eco-system services e.g. water, rainfall, forests, plants and wildlife – simply because we have not quantitated an economic value. This makes me wonder, shouldn’t breathing, clean water to drink, securing energy sources, healthy soils for planting be significant value enough? May this not be a cautionary tale of man’s belief that he/she can win against nature – nature plays the long game, human beings don’t.