“LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND: DEFINITIONS AND RESOURCES FOR INVESTING IN CLIMATE JUSTICE”
Ethical investing, a term coined four decades ago, leverages investment as a tool to promote the well-being of people and the planet. In response to the urgent climate crisis and its severe impact on vulnerable populations, many ethical investors are focusing on climate justice more and more. However, the complexities of global governance, national policies, and existing gaps in climate financing, coupled with misunderstandings about climate justice, can hinder their effectiveness.
To support investors in championing climate justice, “Leave No One Behind: Definitions and Resources for Investing in Climate Justice” clarifies the concept of climate justice in relation to environmental justice and just transition. This publication also explores key considerations for ethical investing and highlights relevant international frameworks, such as the Sustainable Development Goals, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and more.
Ultimately, embracing these principles may require a fundamental shift in thinking about the appropriateness of pursuing market-rate profits when investing in climate justice. By redefining what success looks like when it comes to investing in this area, ethical investors can play a crucial role in creating a more just and sustainable world.
The publication urges investors to consider actions that:
- Fund the most vulnerable.
- Focus on adaptation and resilience, with equal importance to mitigation.
- Focus on their role as shareholders to act as watchdogs and advocates, engaging in shareholder advocacy and engagement.
- Adopt a decolonial perspective while ensuring that solutions impacting Indigenous groups are led by them.
- Ensure that net-zero efforts also factor in social equity considerations and outcomes.