Earth911 Podcast: Arthur Baker on Financing an Equitable and Sustainable Future

Arthur Baker, associate director of the Development Innovation Lab at the University of Chicago, explains why equity is essential to sustainability. He is the co-author, with Vijaya Ramachandaran, of Let Them Eat Carbon, a Center for Global Development policy paper that suggests it is not just unjust but inefficient to make the poorest countries carry the climate burden. The response to climate change involves a global responsibility to raise people’s standard of living, which reduces population growth, as well as increase the utilization of renewable energy and innovation in food production and waste and water management. Take a few minutes to check out the sites Arthur shares during the show, Give Well and Evidence Action — they research the charitable donations that make the biggest impact.

Sixty-four low-income countries, which have produced the least greenhouse gas emissions, face significant economic and environmental challenges that may prevent them from decarbonizing their economies. And, yet, even if they don’t decarbonize, these nations will produce only 1% of global emissions by 2035. Without assistance, they will simply fall further behind the nations that have benefited the most from the Industrial Era. You can learn more about the University of Chicago’s Development Innovation Lab at bfi.uchicago.edu/development-innovation-lab and about the Center for Global Development at cgdev.org