Abstract
In this important new book, Peter Dauvergne lays out the rich world’s limited understanding of global environmentalism. The great strength of the book is that it focuses on people, from those at the forefront of global capitalism to the contemporary environmental activists pushing for more far reaching environmental change.
Dauvergne unpicks humanity’s passage into the unchartered waters of the Anthropocene in a way that illuminates the predicament humanity finds itself in. While he could be criticized for failing to understand the demands emanating from poorer countries, that would miss the point of an illuminating critique of corporate social responsibility and the eco-business partnerships that now dominate corporate environmentalism and the wider sustainability agenda.
The first half of the book traces the rise of global unsustainability back to the early European explorers. Dauvergne charts the discovery of the tiny island of Nauru in Micronesia in the late 17th century, the discovery of phosphate on the island, and its subsequent physical and cultural destruction over the coming centuries. This example lies at the heart of the book, and Dauvergne argues that by consuming the earth in order to sell more and generate profits, the rich world is gambling with humanity’s future.
Contemporary examples follow. Discussing Procter & Gamble’s “Pampers” brand, Dauvergne demonstrates how this self-styled corporate sustainability leader has reengineered entire cultures to increase corporate profits by selling billions of disposable products. He notes that many Fortune 500 companies are going down a similar path to expand sales and profits, spending billions of dollars promoting their brands.
In the second half of the book, Dauvergne turns his attention to global environmentalism and the origins and diversity of values that characterize this broad movement. Here, he examines the life and legacy of the radical Swiss environmental activist Bruno Manser, who lived with the nomadic Penan tribe in Sarawak, Malaysia, to oppose deforestation from within. Bruno Manser Fonds, the NGO he founded before disappearing, has continued the fight against deforestation in recent decades. But as Dauvergne points out, despite numerous international programs and agreements, progress is frustratingly slow. Land clearing to create space for palm oil plantations to further global growth and consumption continues apace, led by the same political elites as in Manser’s day. NGOs such as Greenpeace keep up the pressure on big brand manufacturers by “mind bombing” the wealthy through online campaigns, with Nestle recently shamed into becoming the first multinational producing consumer goods to adopt responsible palm oil sourcing in partnership with the Forest Trust.
While Dauvergne sees the value of the underlying principles of corporate social responsibility and ethical consumerism embodied in such partnerships, capitalism needs new markets to survive, and he concludes that greater political and economic reforms are needed if we achieve global sustainability.