Reimagining Sustainability for the Global South: A Call for Justice, Innovation, and Equity

Reimagining Sustainability for the Global South: A Call for Justice, Innovation, and Equity

In an age shaped by climate emergencies, widening inequality, and growing geopolitical tension, the notion of sustainable development emerges as both an aspiration and a necessity. For the Global South, home to nations burdened by colonial histories and entrenched economic inequalities, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) must be more than aspirational rhetoric. They require contextualised, justice-oriented strategies that reflect the unique political, ecological, and socio-economic landscapes of these regions. Our recently published book, Implementation of Sustainable Development in the Global South: Strategies, Innovations, and Challenges (Hart Publishing 2024), engages with these themes in depth. This opinion piece draws from the book's opening chapter, 'Reimagining Routes to Sustainability,' to highlight the transformative pathways and structural reorientations necessary to realise the SDGs in the Global South.

The SDGs are guided by the promise to "leave no one behind," yet their practical implementation has often failed to account for entrenched disparities between the Global North and South. Indeed, the economic prosperity of many developed nations was built on centuries of extractive colonialism, resource plunder, and environmental degradation—realities that have directly contributed to the current global inequalities. Exploitative trade regimes, asymmetric investment flows, and inadequate climate finance continue to reinforce these disparities. According to the World Bank's International Debt Report 2024, developing countries spent a record $1.4 trillion to service their foreign debt in 2023, funds that could have been used to strengthen climate mitigation, build infrastructure, or expand social protection systems.

In this backdrop, the foundational argument in our work is about moving beyond the "one-size-fits-all" development paradigm. Sustainable development must not be dictated solely by global agendas designed without a clear understanding of local contexts. Uniform policy frameworks can obscure the nuances of community-specific realities, often erasing valuable indigenous knowledge and socio-cultural practices. Effective implementation of the SDGs requires policies shaped through inclusive, participatory processes that prioritise the voices of the marginalised.

Adapting global initiatives to local realities is no simple task. The SDGs embody a noble vision for global justice and sustainability, but without empowering local actors, these goals risk becoming mere performative exercises. Many communities, especially in the Global South, are excluded from international agenda-setting spaces. Yet these same communities are expected to implement and live the outcomes of decisions made elsewhere. A meaningful localisation process must empower these stakeholders by involving them in planning, decision-making, and implementation.

The discourse on sustainable development gets enriched when diverse knowledge systems, particularly those of Indigenous peoples are recognised as legitimate and valuable. What scholars term "onto-epistemological pluralism" reflects the importance of respecting alternative worldviews, cosmologies, and cultural practices that offer unique insights into sustainability. These perspectives are not simply add-ons; they challenge the dominant neoliberal development models and offer genuinely transformative alternatives. Indigenous philosophies of stewardship, collective ownership, and balance with nature offer a roadmap to sustainability that is ethical, practical, and environmentally sound.

Central to this reimagining is the principle of co-creation. Development initiatives must no longer be conceived in elite circles and then handed down to local populations. Instead, we must foster a model where affected communities are active collaborators from the outset. Participatory development not only empowers communities but also builds trust, enhances transparency, and fosters innovation that is grounded in lived experiences.

Another critical shift is required in how we understand our relationship with the environment. The current era demands a radical departure from anthropocentrism, the idea that human interests should dominate all decision-making. An ecocentric worldview, in contrast, recognises the intrinsic value of all life and the interdependence of ecosystems. Legal and policy frameworks must evolve to reflect this paradigm, embedding the principles of ecological justice and stewardship at the heart of sustainable development.

We argue for a decisive shift in how development success is measured. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) continues to dominate policy thinking, but it fails to account for environmental degradation, social inequity, and well-being. Alternative frameworks that include social indicators, environmental health, and human development are essential. Similarly, financing for the SDGs must move beyond official development assistance and encompass a broader set of tools: domestic revenue mobilisation, debt restructuring, equitable trade, climate finance, and meaningful technology transfers. A global financial architecture that supports rather than constrains sustainable development must be a collective priority.

Good governance remains a linchpin in achieving the SDGs. Effective, transparent, and inclusive governance structures are crucial for implementing sustainable development strategies. However, governance must be multilevel, linking international frameworks with national policy and local implementation. In this context, public officials must be equipped not only with technical knowledge but also with strategic foresight, ethical leadership, and cultural competence.

Additionally, civic organisations, grassroots movements, and academic institutions hold a crucial role, acting as both watchdogs and collaborators. They enrich policy formulation, advocate for marginalised communities, and drive accountability. Their engagement is essential to ensure that sustainability efforts are not only technocratic exercises, but also democratic processes rooted in justice and inclusion.

We must also reimagine policy coherence and data governance. Development goals must be integrated across sectors and levels of government, breaking the silos that often impede effective action. Reliable, disaggregated, and timely data is critical for measuring progress, identifying gaps, and informing policy decisions. Investment in data infrastructure, particularly in the Global South, is a foundational requirement for effective SDG implementation.

Bangladesh serves as a compelling case study. The country has made significant progress in reducing poverty, improving gender parity, and enhancing disaster resilience. Yet, it continues to face entrenched challenges such as urban inequality, climate vulnerability, and limited access to global markets and technology. Bangladesh thus illustrates the dual realities of potential and precarity that define sustainable development in much of the Global South. It also highlights the ingenuity of bottom-up approaches such as women-led development programmes, community-based climate adaptation, and legal mobilisation for environmental justice that deserve wider recognition and support.

As we move closer to the 2030 deadline, the SDGs stand at a critical crossroads. Over 30% of the goals are off track or regressing. This sobering reality demands a renewed global compact—one that centres equity, redresses historical injustices, and puts the agency of the Global South at the forefront of development governance. Developed countries must fulfil their commitments to finance, trade justice, and climate action—not as acts of benevolence, but as moral and legal obligations arising from historical responsibility.

Our book, Implementation of Sustainable Development in the Global South, is both a scholarly contribution and a call to transformative action. It urges scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to shift from rhetoric to responsibility, from abstraction to action. Let us reimagine development not as a gift from the powerful to the poor, but as a shared endeavour rooted in dignity, rights, and mutual respect.

The writers are Professor, Macquarie Law School, Australia, Professor, University of Dhaka, and Professor, University of Dhaka. All three are co-editors of the book Implementation of Sustainable Development in the Global South (Hart 2024). Readers can access the book here: https://www.bloomsburycollections.com/monograph?docid=b-9781509963782