Beyond Growth: Rethinking Our Responsibility to the Planet

This article is the second installment in the edufocus series, NEPC’s multimedia platform for educational content covering a variety of topics in education. As part of the content wave on ecological justice, this article aims to expand upon the groundwork laid out by Burcu Meltem Arik in the first edufocus article on sustainability.

Written by our long-term friend and colleague, Mladen Domazet of the Institute for Political Ecology, this article delves into the ethics behind the sustainability movement, analyzing real-world ecological data and the philosophical foundations of environmental justice. Mladen Domazet is an experienced researcher whose expertise spans political ecology, sustainability, and environmental ethics.

As part of the Lead for EcoJustice! project, this article explores the intersection of sustainability, economic justice, and planetary boundaries. It introduces key concepts such as ecological justice, carbon inequality, and the philosophical debates shaping our understanding of global responsibility. Using concrete data on biodiversity loss, carbon cycles, and wealth disparities, the article challenges conventional economic models and invites educators to rethink how we teach sustainable development in a way that is both just and transformative.

Through edufocus, we aim to provide educational resources that inspire educators, students, and communities to engage critically with the pressing issues of our time. Join us in exploring the ethics of sustainability and the concept of ecological justice the pathways to a just and equitable future.