Eco-Social Contracts for Sustainable and Just Futures by Huntjens, Patrick; Mohamed, Najma; Hujo, Katja; Desai, Manisha;

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This groundbreaking open access volume introduces eco-social contracts as a bold and actionable vision for addressing the major, interconnected crises of our time—climate change, biodiversity loss, rising inequality, and the erosion of public trust and democratic legitimacy.

At its heart lies a fundamental realization that can no longer be ignored: the social contract has been broken for billions of people. As a result, the bonds between people, planet, and power must be rewoven.

Increasingly recognized by the UN, global assessments such as the IPBES Transformative Change Assessment, and by a growing international community of civil society leaders, youth movements, and NGOs, eco-social contracts call for renewed solidarity, systemic equity across generations and communities, inclusive governance, and a fundamental transformation of economic systems.

They challenge dominant economic paradigms and present a holistic and compelling alternative—one that rebalances our relationships with nature, institutions, and one another. This book captures that momentum, blending visionary thinking and grounded inspiration with hard-won lessons on unlocking and mobilising collective agency.

Rooted in diverse knowledge systems—from Indigenous cosmologies and feminist and care-based economics to regenerative development and post-growth thought—it brings together contributions from leading scholars, practitioners, artists, and activists across the globe. Bridging theory and practice, it offers vital insights into how regenerative, inclusive, and just futures can be co-created.

For changemakers, students, and all those seeking hope, direction, and clarity in a time of global uncertainty, this book is both a call to action and a guide for transformation—inviting readers to imagine and co-create sustainable and just futures our hearts and minds know are possible.

Selected Endorsements

Inger Andersen – Executive Director, UNEP: “This volume is a progressive and constructive contribution to building societies in harmony with nature.”

Mary Robinson – The Elders, and Former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner: “This book makes clear that a new eco-social contract must be built on structural justice, intergenerational equity, and inclusive governance.”

Jayati Ghosh - Club of Rome, and UN High-Level Advisory Board on Economic and Social Affairs: “An incredibly timely and significant book that could not be more relevant for our current planetary emergency. Some light in the seeming darkness!”

Kumi Naidoo – President, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative: “This book convincingly shows why and how we must transition from systems that devalue life to economies that cherish well-being and shared prosperity.”

Karen O’Brien – Co-Chair, IPBES Transformative Change Assessment: “This book shows how we can recognize ourselves as agents of change. When we do, new realities become thinkable and actionable.”

Daan Zieren, Chair Youth Climate Movement (The Netherlands), part of the We Are Tomorrow Global Partnership (WAT-GP): “Young people feel the urgency of the climate crisis, but they lack the perspective of a structural solution. For a shared vision of the future, we need new forms of involvement. The eco-social contract offers an inspiring example of how we can build a sustainable future together.""

Table of Contents:

Eco social contracts for sustainable, regenerative and just futures: Introduction and overview.- Seaweed king: Weaving narratives of loss and renewal in the anthropocene.- Restoring planetary balance: Exploring Muslim eco-social covenants for the earth.- A New Pact with Nature: From Social to Eco-Social Contracts.- Beyond sustainable development, to sustainable societies: Insights from feminist and indigenous theories and praxis.- Advancing Earth system governance: Key achievements and propositions for meaningful progress towards a global eco-social contract.- The European Green Deal: An eco-social contract for Europe?.- Radical democracy, ecology, and justice in India: Experiences from four decades of activist research.- The role of the rights of nature in establishing eco-social contracts.- Eco-social Contracts as a Pathway Toward Inclusive and Sustainable Futures: opportunities, challenges, and lessons learned.- Eco-social Contracts as a Pathway Toward Inclusive and Sustainable Futures: opportunities, challenges, and lessons learned.- The Transformation Flower Approach for Eco-Social Contracting.- The Climate COP: Process and pathways for eco- and peace-promoting social contracts.- Between resistance and cooperation: A balancing act towards new eco-social contracts in Latin America.- Contestation Movements and the Emergence of Eco-Social Contracts in India and Nepal.- Eco-social contracts for sustainable and just futures: Varieties of eco-social contracts in Japanese ecovillages and coliving-coworking arrangements.- The economy we want: Exploring the potential of participatory mechanisms to catalyse economic transformations.- Epilogue.