ISDRS

Human activities have changed our planet^1,2. The industrial systems, land uses, and technologies that have brought such immense prosperity for a proportion of the global population have also depleted and damaged the natural resources and larger environmental processes that allow the planet’s rich diversity of life to flourish³. The social, economic, and technical paradigms that have driven the character and growth of modern civilisation are also eroding the capital base that allows it to exist^4,5. The ‘green growth’ paradigm promotes adaptations of the global growth-oriented system yet the linked climate and biodiversity crises demand substantive transformations. Alternative economic approaches and paradigms have emerged at different scales that speak to emerging de-growth debates and seek to oppose or subvert the growth-driven capitalist paradigm^6,7.

Governments and the private sector are grappling with the challenges involved in transforming industrial systems, energy generation, agriculture, transport, manufacturing, and other economic sectors to low-carbon, sustainable models of operation. These transformations require complex and fundamental changes not only to technological approaches, but to social and governance processes, financial systems, and the cultures and business models of commercial organisations. Examples of strategic tools and frameworks that are being applied to support financial and economic sustainability transitions include the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD), the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosure (TNFD), and the many taxonomies for sustainable finance – such as the European Union’s taxonomy for sustainable activities – that are being developed globally^8–11. Examples of multi-stakeholder alliances and and commitments for sustainability transition include the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi), the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), the Paris-Aligned Investor Initiative, and the UN-convened Net-Zero Insurance Alliance (NZIA).

This track is focused on the design, development, features, implementation, stakeholders, and impacts of financial and economic theories, frameworks, tools, alliances, and protocols applied to achieve sustainability transformations. We are keen to receive submissions exploring different perspectives on this theme.

Theoretical:

• Innovative conceptual frameworks to inform sustainable economic and business models through the lens of transition theories.
• Commons, cooperatives, and new forms of commercial organizations.
• Conceptual contributions that challenge the growth paradigm within the global capitalist system (including ideas of green, smart, post-, de- and qualitative growth) by offering effective alternatives.
• Environmental justice-driven development, including pro-poor growth.

Empirical:

• Case studies of business initiatives in decarbonization, business model transformation, and nature-based solutions.
• Analysis of and reflections on policy approaches such as the European Union’s taxonomy on sustainable activities or the Australian Emission Reductions Fund.
• Studies of how different business models can help achieve corporate climate, energy, and biodiversity sustainability goals.
• Evidence of greenwashing in corporate actions, and responses to this.

In addition, we are interested in data-driven speculative submissions (including modeling, thought experiments, and scenarios) that consider how sustainable economic and business models and tools can be implemented to support inclusive and equitable development and growth.