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	Equality is essential for sustainability. Why the world cannot afford the rich by Richard Wilkinson & Kate Pickett Nature   Mar. 2024   As environmental, social and humanitarian crises escalate, the world can no longer afford two things: first, the costs of economic inequality; and second, the rich.   Between 2020 and 2022, the world’s most affluent 1% of people captured nearly twice as much of the new global wealth created as did the other 99% of individuals put together, and in 2019 they emitted as much carbon dioxide as the poorest two-thirds of humanity. In the decade to 2022, the world’s billionaires more than doubled their wealth, to almost US$12 trillion.   The evidence gathered by social epidemiologists, including us, shows that large differences in income are a powerful social stressor that is increasingly rendering societies dysfunctional.   For example, bigger gaps between rich and poor are accompanied by higher rates of homicide and imprisonment. They also correspond to more infant mortality, obesity, drug abuse and COVID-19 deaths, as well as higher rates of teenage pregnancy and lower levels of child well-being, social mobility and public trust.   The homicide rate in the United States — the most unequal Western democracy — is more than 11 times that in Norway. Imprisonment rates are ten times as high, and infant mortality and obesity rates twice as high.   Reducing inequality benefits everyone — so why isn’t it happening?   These problems don’t just hit the poorest individuals, although the poorest are most badly affected. Even affluent people would enjoy a better quality of life if they lived in a country with a more equal distribution of wealth, similar to a Scandinavian nation.   They might see improvements in their mental health and have a reduced chance of becoming victims of violence; their children might do better at school and be less likely to take dangerous drugs.   The costs of inequality are also excruciatingly high for governments. For example, the Equality Trust, a charity based in London (of which we are patrons and co-founders), estimated that the United Kingdom alone could save more than £100 billion ($126 billion) per year if it reduced its inequalities to the average of those in the five countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that have the smallest income differentials — Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Norway and the Netherlands.   And that is considering just four areas: greater number of years lived in full health, better mental health, reduced homicide rates and lower imprisonment rates.   Many commentators have drawn attention to the environmental need to limit economic growth and instead prioritize sustainability and well-being. We argue that tackling inequality is the foremost task of that transformation.   Greater equality will reduce unhealthy and excess consumption, and will increase the solidarity and cohesion that are needed to make societies more adaptable in the face of climate and other emergencies.   The underlying reasons for inequality having such profound and wide-ranging impacts are psychosocial. By accentuating differences in status and social class — for example, through the type of car someone drives, their clothing or where they live — inequality increases feelings of superiority and of inferiority.   The view that some people are worth more than others can undermine people’s confidence and feelings of self-worth. And, as studies of cortisol responses show, worry about how others see us is a powerful stressor.   Rates of ‘status anxiety’ have been found to be increased in all income groups in more-unequal societies. Chronic stress has well-documented effects on mortality — it can double death rates. Health-related behaviours are also affected by stress. Diet, exercise and smoking all show social gradients, but people are least likely to adopt healthy lifestyles when they feel stressed.   Violence and bullying are also linked to competition for social status. Aggression is frequently triggered by disrespect, humiliation and loss of face. Bullying among schoolchildren is around six times as common in more-unequal countries.   In the United States, homicide rates were five times as high in states with higher levels of inequality as in those with a more even distribution of wealth.   Inequality also increases consumerism. Perceived links between wealth and self-worth drive people to buy goods associated with high social status and thus enhance how they appear to others — as US economist Thorstein Veblen set out more than a century ago in his book The Theory of the Leisure Class (1899). Studies show that people who live in more-unequal societies spend more on status goods.   Our work has shown that the amount spent on advertising as a proportion of gross domestic product is higher in countries with greater inequality. The well-publicized lifestyles of the rich promote standards and ways of living that others seek to emulate, triggering cascades of expenditure for holiday homes, swimming pools, travel, clothes and expensive cars.   Oxfam reports that, on average, each of the richest 1% of people in the world produces 100 times the emissions of the average person in the poorest half of the world’s population. That is the scale of the injustice. As poorer countries raise their material standards, the rich will have to lower theirs.   Inequality also makes it harder to implement environmental policies. Changes are resisted if people feel that the burden is not being shared fairly. For example, in 2018, the gilets jaunes (yellow vests) protests erupted across France in response to President Emmanuel Macron’s attempt to implement an ‘eco-tax’ on fuel by adding a few percentage points to pump prices.   The proposed tax was seen widely as unfair — particularly for the rural poor, for whom diesel and petrol are necessities. By 2019, the government had dropped the idea. Similarly, Brazilian truck drivers protested against rises in fuel tax in 2018, disrupting roads and supply chains.   Do unequal societies perform worse when it comes to the environment, then? Yes. For rich, developed countries for which data were available, we found a strong correlation between levels of equality and a score on an index we created of performance in five environmental areas: air pollution; recycling of waste materials; the carbon emissions of the rich; progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; and international cooperation (UN treaties ratified and avoidance of unilateral coercive measures).   That correlation clearly holds when social and health problems are also factored in. To show this, we combined our environmental performance index with another that we developed previously that considers ten health and social problems: infant mortality, life expectancy, mental illness, obesity, educational attainment, teenage births, homicides, imprisonment, social mobility and trust. There’s a clear trend, with more-unequal societies having worse scores.   Other studies have also shown that more-equal societies are more cohesive, with higher levels of trust and participation in local groups. And, compared with less-equal rich countries, another 10–20% of the populations of more-equal countries think that environmental protection should be prioritized over economic growth.   More-equal societies also perform better on the Global Peace Index (which ranks states on their levels of peacefulness), and provide more foreign aid. The UN target is for countries to spend 0.7% of their gross national income (GNI) on foreign aid; Sweden and Norway each give around 1% of their GNI, whereas the United Kingdom gives 0.5% and the United States only 0.2%.   The scientific evidence is stark that reducing inequality is a fundamental precondition for addressing the environmental, health and social crises the world is facing. It’s essential that policymakers act quickly to reverse decades of rising inequality and curb the highest incomes.   First, governments should choose progressive forms of taxation, which shift economic burdens from people with low incomes to those with high earnings, to reduce inequality and to pay for the infrastructure that the world needs to transition to carbon neutrality and sustainability.   Although governments might baulk at this suggestion, there’s plenty of headroom. For example, tax rates on the highest incomes in the United States were well above 70% for about half of the twentieth century — much higher than today’s top rate of 37%. To shore up public support, governments need to make a strong case that the whole of society should contribute to funding the clean energy transition and good health.   International agreements to close tax havens and loopholes must be made. Corporate tax avoidance is estimated to cost poor countries at least $100 billion per year — enough to educate an extra 124 million children and prevent perhaps 8 million maternal and infant deaths annually. OECD member countries are responsible for more than two-thirds of these tax losses, according to the Tax Justice Network. The OECD estimates that low- or middle-income countries lose three times as much to tax havens as they receive in foreign aid.   Although not yet tried, the merits of a consumption tax — calculated on the basis of personal income minus savings — to restrain consumption should also be considered. Unlike value-added and sales taxes, such a tax could be made very progressive.   Bans on advertising tobacco, alcohol, gambling and prescription drugs are common internationally, but taxes to restrict advertising more generally would help to reduce consumption. Energy costs might also be made progressive by charging more per unit at higher levels of consumption.   Legislation and incentives will also be needed to ensure that large companies — which dominate the global economy — are run more fairly. For example, business practices such as employee ownership, representation on company boards and share ownership, as well as mutuals and cooperatives, tend to reduce the scale of income and wealth inequality.   In contrast to the 200:1 ratio reported by one analyst for the top to the bottom pay rates among the 100 largest-worth companies listed on the FTSE 100 stock-market index, the Mondragon group of Spanish cooperatives has an agreed maximum ratio of 9:1. And such companies perform well in ethical and sustainability terms. The Mondragon group came 11th in Fortune magazine’s 2020 ‘Change the World’ list, which recognizes companies for implementing innovative business strategies with a positive global impact.   Reducing economic inequality is not a panacea for health, social and environmental problems, but it is central to solving them all. Greater equality confers the same benefits on a society however it is achieved. Countries that adopt multifaceted approaches will go furthest and fastest. Visit the related web page
	Without binding EU legislation on corporate accountability, governments fail to address human rights by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, agencies   15 Mar. 2024 (European Coalition for Corporate Justice, agencies)   Today’s decision by EU capitals to endorse the Belgian Presidency’s political deal on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) is a significant step forward in the protection of human rights and the environment from corporate harm. This political endorsement is a landmark decision in favour of regulating businesses to respect the planet and the rights of those impacted by business operations – including women, workers and indigenous communities, and to provide access to justice for victims.   Whilst today’s endorsement by the EU Council is an important step in formally adopting the directive, last-minute changes due to political manoeuvres by several Member States and business lobbies have further watered down a political agreement that had already not fully met international standards and expectations. Disappointingly, the CSDDD will now only apply to roughly 0.05% of EU companies and business activities that typically bear risks for the environment and human rights.   "Today's endorsement of the CSDDD is a significant landmark recognition toward regulating businesses to uphold human rights and environmental standards. The CSDDD will set the ground for responsible business conduct within the EU and beyond. But it is far from a resounding victory for victims and advocates: the endorsed compromise falls short of the ambition of the original trilogue agreement due to last-minute, undemocratic manoeuvres by Member States, who have once again betrayed those they should protect from corporate harm." - Nele Meyer, ECCJ Director   After last week’s deadlock among EU capitals, the Belgian Presidency finally succeeded in brokering a compromise among Member States resulting in the political endorsement of the CSDDD. This came with huge and damaging cuts to – what was meant to be the political deal agreed with the parliament last December. The text agreed today by the Council still needs approval from the European Parliament.   Under the proposal presented to the Council today, we estimate that nearly 70% of companies captured by the political deal of December 2023 would not face accountability for harm to people and the environment.   Following last-minute moves by France, companies will have to be over twice the size than originally previously agreed to fall into scope. The proposal was to reduce the personal scope by raising thresholds from 500 employees to over 1,000 on average and from EUR 150 million to EUR 300 million, eventually reaching EUR 450 million in turnover in the current text.   Even in sectors that are notoriously tainted by atrocious human rights violations – such as textile, mining and the agricultural sector-, only extremely large companies will have to address human and environmental rights abuses in their value chains. This proposed change is even more scandalous considering the European Commission’s initial proposal would have covered just 1% of all EU companies. We estimate that the changes will decrease the total number of EU companies covered by the CSDDD from roughly 16,000 to under 5,500.   http://corporatejustice.org/news/reaction-csddd-endorsement-brings-us-0-05-closer-to-corporate-justice/ http://corporatejustice.org/publications/debunking-7-myths-on-the-csddd http://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/03/eu-new-european-business-human-rights-law-passes-crucial-vote/ http://www.fidh.org/en/issues/business-human-rights-environment/business-and-human-rights/eu-due-diligence-directive-member-states-reach-political-agreement http://www.clientearth.org/latest/press-office/press/csddd-suffers-horse-trading-wars-to-finally-get-eu-members-states-vote-clientearth/   28 Feb. 2024   Joint Civil Society Statement: We say YES to the CSDDD   Today’s failure of the EU Council to endorse the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) marks a deplorable setback for corporate accountability and the protection of Human Rights and the environment worldwide.   The blockage is largely attributable to big Member States: the early announced abstention from influential Germany – orchestrated by the minority German coalition partner, the FDP, and met with spiritless resistance by Chancellor Scholz – was followed by others. A last-minute attempt by France to derail negotiations by proposing a tenfold increase in company threshold last night increased the uncertainty for other states.   These political games starkly defy the resounding support for the Directive from governments, trade unions, civil society, large, medium and small businesses, and individual citizens. Without binding EU legislation on corporate accountability, national governments fail to address human rights impacts, the exploitation of workers, and impacts on Indigenous People's rights and other traditional communities and natural ecosystems linked to corporate operations.   It is a harrowing failure by EU governments to meet their obligations under international human rights law, and a green-light signal to reckless businesses that they can keep fuelling the climate and ecological crises for corporate profits.   This lack of support threatens a vital piece of EU sustainability legislation, necessary and overdue to trigger the change in business conduct. It is the result of a democratic process in the European Parliament and of extensive negotiations with Member States.   Now more than ever, the Belgian Presidency must rise to the occasion: it is time to circle back to the Member States and ensure a strong majority without haggling over the key principles of the compromise hammered out in the trilogue agreement.   Uku Lilleväli, Sustainable Finance Policy Officer at WWF European Policy Office, said:   “It’s scandalous that, in the 21st century, certain European lawmakers wish to permit companies to ignore human rights and environmental integrity, all under the guise of short-term profits. Let’s be clear: the law wouldn’t burden companies with unnecessary red tape; instead, it would secure a level playing field and help firms navigate necessary transitions in an informed and responsible manner.”   Isabella Ritter, EU Policy Officer at ShareAction, said:   “Those who blocked this legislation today have shown indifference to exploitation of workers and environmental degradation. They let internal political struggles take priority over the well-being of the planet and its people, which is unacceptable. The global community is watching, and the EU’s credibility and leadership is on the line".   Nele Meyer, Director European Coalition for Corporate Justice:   "It is utterly deplorable that EU capitals have turned their backs on the political agreement reached in December. We implore Member States to return to the negotiation table with a renewed sense of urgency. Protecting human rights and the environment is not a poker game. Failure to adopt the CSDDD would be a slap in the face to those people whose lives and livelihoods are being harmed by business operations. Power struggles and indifference must not dictate our future".   Marc-Olivier Herman, EU Policy Lead for economic justice at Oxfam:   "The very late term amendments to the CSDDD – the law that aims to step up companies’ accountability for potential labour, human rights and environmental violations across their supply chain being pursued by Italy, Germany, France, Austria and others amount to effectively blocking and reducing the scope of the legislation”.   “To use the SME argument at this stage is not credible. What is happening now is basically related to the impact on very large businesses,” he said. If any further concession was made on the CSDDD, there would be little left in the text to actually ensure responsible business in the downstream value chain".   “To think that, at this late stage, they can get away with anything, is pitiful,” Herman added commenting on national ministers’ tactical moves.   The Business and Human Rights Resource Centre – a CSO that tracks companies’ labour and environmental practices – highlighted that, among others, in-scope companies would for example be required to provide support and resources to their smaller suppliers to comply with due diligence, and would be called to guarantee fair contractual terms with them.   Mary Robinson, former U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, and chair of the Elders:   "The directive is not perfect and contains flaws with serious consequences. The effective exclusion of financial institutions, at the behest of vested interests in key EU member states, is a missed opportunity. Investor's due diligence plays a central role in defining their investee companies' behavior. If they continue to demand companies singularly maximize short-term returns to shareholders, most company executives will act accordingly—passing costs and risks down to vulnerable workers and communities".   http://corporatejustice.org/news/reaction-we-say-yes-to-the-csddd-joint-civil-society-statement-reacting-to-lack-of-majority-in-coreper/ http://icar.ngo/civil-society-letter-in-support-of-eu-csddd-to-european-embassies http://www.business-humanrights.org/en/blog/law-of-unintended-consequences-failure-to-adopt-the-eu-due-diligence-directive-will-drive-european-legal-fragmentation/ http://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/cso-statement-coreper/ http://www.unicef.org/eu/press-releases/joint-statement-ohchr-undp-unep-unfpa-unicef-and-unops-eu-corporate-sustainability http://corporatejustice.org/news/press-release-csddd-political-deal-a-pivotal-step-but-a-missed-opportunity-to-embrace-transformative-change http://www.business-humanrights.org/en/big-issues/mandatory-due-diligence/ Visit the related web page
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