In report after report it is shown how citizens of the world are mistreating the Planet (e.g. IPCC,2014; Rockstrom et al., 2009; Steffen et al., 2015). Anthropogenic pressure is now so high thatscientists discuss a sixth mass extinction of species and due to the dominant influence humanshave on the environment, they define the current era as the Anthropocene (Barnosky et al.,2011; Crutzen, 2002; Steffen, Grinewald, Crutzen, & McNeill, 2011; Wake &Vredenburg,2008). ‘Overshoot’ of the Planet’s annual sustainable capacity in 2015 was reached by August(GFN, 2015), while the most ‘developed’ states (which includes advancement in economy aswell as in science and education) require the equivalent of three planets or more to supporttheir industries, societies and lifestyles (WWF, 2014). Even though the connection betweenhigher material standards and well-being is tenuous, as captured in the happiness-incomeparadox (Easterlin, McVey, Switek, Sawangfa, & Zweig, 2010) and by the importance of positional(consumer) goods (Hirsch, 1977), the desire for continual economic growth remainsunchallenged in most countries.As a major consequence of the expansion of human activities and populations, climate changehas been widely acknowledged for over 25 years (IPCC, 1990). During this time, the notion ofsustainability has entered the political agenda and within both policy and academia it is recognizedthat current modes of production and patterns of consumption are unsustainable (Crockerand Lehmann, 2013; Jackson, 2009; Steffen et al., 2011). Nonetheless, 80% of the globaleconomy continues to rely on fossil energy sources, meaning that the world’s activities exploitpast carbon stores and will torment the future (McGlade&Ekins, 2014). Further, in spite of thismassive use of planetary resources and the related increases in wealth, real and pressing needs(such as famine and lack of sanitation and clean water) continue to plague the poor (WHO andUnicef, 2013). The pressure on the planet is also unequally divided given for example that10% of the wealthiest are responsible for 45% of the global greenhouse gas emissions, andthis difference between rich and poor reaches a four digit factor when one moves to extreme© 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group*Corresponding author. Email:
[email protected] Enterprise Research, 2016http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13215906.2016.1188719Downloaded by [Linköping University Library] at 23:36 16 June 2016incomes (Chancel & Piketty, 2015). Therefore many good reasons exist to speak out aboutcommon, yet differentiated, responsibilities, both between and within nation states.With regard to the responsibilities of states, such a differentiation has been acknowledged sincethe Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (UN, 1992), and reaffirmed recently in theGlobal Agenda for Sustainable Development (UN, 2015) and in the Paris Agreement (UNFCCC,2015). However, while the IPCC’s fifth report (2014, p. 17) calls for ‘substantial emissionsreductions over the next few decades’, the global political system has again failed to providebinding laws or protocols with strong and explicit targets and responsibilities. Also at the nationaland local levels, politicians are generally failing to operationalize their rhetoric, and citizens appearto struggle more to meet their consumerist ambitions than with forming powerful socialmovementsthat would support a sustainable path. In relation to the issues highlighted above, how arebusinesses facing this challenge? This Special Issue of Small Enterprise Research will examineclosely the concept and practise of ‘Ecopreneurship’ that has been gaining increasingly positiveattention. Ecopreneurship has been proposed as an important way of greening business andmaking entrepreneurship both possible and more sustainable during the coming decades. TheSpecial Issue will also spotlight the conceptualization, change and practical use of Ecopreneurshiparound the globe. Within this analysis, a number of issues deserve particular attention.
