Prelims

Half Title

CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE 2030 CORPORATE AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Series Page

ADVANCES IN SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Previously ADVANCES IN ECOPOLITICS

Series Editor: Liam Leonard

PUBLISHED UNDER SERIES TITLE ‘ADVANCES IN SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE’

International Business, Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility Volume 11

Edited by Maria Alejandra Gonzalez-Perez and Liam Leonard

Principles and Strategies to Balance Ethical, Social and Environmental Concerns with Corporate Requirements Volume 12

Edited by Liam Leonard and Maria Alejandra Gonzalez-Perez

Environmental Philosophy: The Art of Life in a World of Limits Volume 13

Edited by Liam Leonard, John Barry, Marius de Geus, Peter Doran and Graham Parkes

The Sustainability of Restorative Justice Volume 14

Edited by Paula Kenny and Liam Leonard

Occupy the Earth: Global Environmental Movements Volume 15

Edited by Liam Leonard and Sya Buryn Kedzior

The UN Global Compact: Fair Competition and Environmental and Labour Justice in International Markets Volume 16

Edited by Maria Alejandra Gonzalez-Perez and Liam Leonard

Beyond the UN Global Compact: Institutions and Regulations Volume 17

Edited by Liam Leonard and Maria Alejandra Gonzalez-Perez

Lessons from the Great Recession: At the Crossroads of Sustainability and Recovery Volume 18

Edited by Constantin Gurdgiev, Liam Leonard and Maria Alejandra Gonzalez-Perez

Title Page

ADVANCES IN SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE VOLUME 19

CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE 2030 CORPORATE AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

EDITED BY

MARIA ALEJANDRA GONZALEZ-PEREZ

Universidad EAFIT, Medellin, Colombia

LIAM LEONARD

California State University, Fullerton, CA, USA

United Kingdom – North America – Japan – India – Malaysia – China

Copyright Page

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley BD16 1WA, UK

First edition 2017

Copyright © 2017 Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without either the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying issued in the UK by The Copyright Licensing Agency and in the USA by The Copyright Clearance Center. Any opinions expressed in the chapters are those of the authors. Whilst Emerald makes every effort to ensure the quality and accuracy of its content, Emerald makes no representation implied or otherwise, as to the chapters’ suitability and application and disclaims any warranties, express or implied, to their use.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-78635-819-6

ISSN: 2051-5030 (Series)

Editorial Advisory Board

John Barry

Queens University, Northern Ireland, UK

Marius De Geus

University of Leiden, The Netherlands

Walter DeKeseredy

West Virginia University, USA

Peter Doran

Queens University, Northern Ireland, UK

Maria-Alejandra Gonzalez-Perez

Universidad EAFIT, Colombia

Sya Keidisor

Towson University, USA

Graham Parkes

University College Cork, Ireland

Andrew Szasz

University of California Santa Cruz, USA

Heather Thompson

University of Michigan, USA

List of Contributors

Series Editor’s Introduction

The issue of climate change is without doubt one of the greatest challenges facing humankind and the planet we inhabit in history. The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Summit provides us with a number of approaches that are required to reverse the catastrophic damages of climate change globally. These include acknowledging and taking action on the following (Washington Post, 2015):

• “Holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above preindustrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels, recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change.”

• “Reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible, recognizing that peaking will take longer for developing country parties, and to undertake rapid reductions thereafter.”

• “The importance of averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change.”

The Paris Climate Change deal also calls for nations to audit and reduce their emissions to the level of the “highest possible ambition.” Furthermore, a target of $100 billion a year in climate-related financing by 2020 was agreed on by participant nations.

Nonetheless, in order for this agreement to succeed, the business sector must be held accountable for the pollution and destruction it has caused across the planet. One approach to this has been the 2030 Corporate Agenda for Sustainable Development. Building on the UN’s Millennium Development goals, the 2030 Corporate Agenda holds the global business sector responsible for the massive pollution it has caused in the search for ever-increasing profits. The Agenda sets out the way forward in its Preamble (United Nations, 2015):

This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet, and prosperity. It also seeks to strengthen universal peace in larger freedom.

We recognize that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development.

All countries and all stakeholders, acting in collaborative partnership, will implement this plan. We are resolved to free the human race from the tyranny of poverty and want to heal and secure our planet.

We are determined to take the bold and transformative steps which are urgently needed to shift the world onto a sustainable and resilient path. As we embark on this collective journey, we pledge that no one will be left behind.

This volume of the Advances in Sustainability and Environmental Justice Series from Emerald Group Publishing contains an international set of case studies which examine regional responses to the 2030 Corporate Agenda. As Senior Editor of the Series, I am pleased to see the extent to which these contributions reflect on the best research across the globe on this most relevant of topics.

Since its inception as the Advances in Ecopolitics Series and now in its current format, the Advances in Sustainability and Environmental Justice Series has presented studies on a diverse range of environmental topics. These have included salient issues such as Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability since the 2008 economic recession, global environmental movements, environmental philosophy, and the UN Global Compact.

As the Founder and Series Editor, I am pleased to say we will continue to provide and outlet for high-end quality research on environmental issues and sustainability in future volumes. As we approach the landmark 20th Volume, this Series is now established as a global leader in its field. I would like to thank all contributors, editors, and the staff at Emerald for their contributions to this success.

Liam Leonard

Series Editor