The global climate crisis is directly caused by a dominant economic system based on exploitation. But in the economy also lies the solution. We fight for a transformative approach to both climate and economic justice, that tackles the structures behind planetary damage and inequalities, not just their consequences. 

We’ve crossed 6 of the 9 planetary boundaries, but instead of changing course, the prescriptions of International Financial Institutions fuel the ecocide through the vicious cycle of debt repayments which impose an extractive economy based on exporting natural resources and industrial agriculture. 

The starting point is acknowledging how, for decades, the Global South has borne the brunt of climate hazards, despite contributing minimally to greenhouse gas emissions. This disparity highlights the urgent need for a reparations-based framework in climate finance, where wealthier nations and corporations responsible for the crisis bear a greater portion of the costs. Following the  UN Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation, climate justice requires restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, cessation of continuing violations, and guarantees of non-repetition. 

At CESR, we are committed to promoting policies that ensure countries in the Global South have the resources they need for a just transition, and those most affected by climate change receive the support and resources they need. A fair fiscal system is the cornerstone of gathering the necessary resources to finance climate justice, uphold human rights, and address inequality. States can foster a fairer society by leveraging taxes to generate revenue to resource rights and public services, redistribute wealth to reduce inequality, re-price goods, and services to disincentivize harmful practices, enhance representation to improve democratic governance, and redress the historical legacies of colonization and ecological damage.