Just economies

The act of breaking and sharing bread captures how creating more just economies means sharing resources and welcoming others to have a seat at the table through decent work and economic growth (SDG 8). Transforming the economic system offers an opportunity not only to address poverty (SDG 1) and inequality (SDG 10), but also extends to gender inequality (SDG 5) and peace, justice, and strong institutions (SDG 16). The chapter reviews (planetary) challenges, the vexing nature of poverty and the rise of polycrises. It captures how to improve social and environmental impacts from the private sector amidst calls to degrowth the economies. Given the crucial nature of inequality in achieving both more inclusive growth and more just economies, the chapter discusses how inequalities manifest in rural spaces, and presents efforts to reduce them in Brazil. The case study focuses on fast fashion, moving beyond boycotting and activating multiple changemakers for transformation.