In Unsustainable Inequalities: Social Justice and the Environment, Lucas Chancel demonstrates the role that economic inequality plays in maintaining social injustice and environmental unsustainability, exploring ways to better balance the reduction of socio-economic inequality and the strengthening of environmental protections. This is an accessible, relevant and thought-provoking analysis that uses well-presented facts and figure to unpack the intricate relationship between social injustice and environmental harm, finds Gayathri D. Naik. If you are interested in this book, you can listen to or watch author Lucas Chancel in conversation with LSE’s Dr Alina Averchenkova, recorded at an October 2020 online event hosted by LSE’s International Inequalities Institute. Unsustainable Inequalities: Social Justice and the Environment. Lucas Chancel. Harvard University Press. 2020

Naik, Gayathri D.

English

LSE Research Online

Book	Review:	Unsustainable	Inequalities:	SocialJustice	and	the	Environment	by	Lucas	ChancelIn	Unsustainable	Inequalities:	Social	Justice	and	the	Environment,	Lucas	Chancel	demonstrates	the	role	thateconomic	inequality	plays	in	maintaining	social	injustice	and	environmental	unsustainability,	exploring	ways	tobetter	balance	the	reduction	of	socio-economic	inequality	and	the	strengthening	of	environmental	protections.	Thisis	an	accessible,	relevant	and	thought-provoking	analysis	that	uses	well-presented	facts	and	figure	to	unpack	theintricate	relationship	between	social	injustice	and	environmental	harm,	finds	Gayathri	D.	Naik.	If	you	are	interested	in	this	book,	you	can	listen	to	or	watch	author	Lucas	Chancel	in	conversation	with	LSE’s	DrAlina	Averchenkova,	recorded	at	an	October	2020	online	event	hosted	by	LSE’s	International	InequalitiesInstitute.Unsustainable	Inequalities:	Social	Justice	and	the	Environment.	Lucas	Chancel.	Harvard	University	Press.2020.Find	this	book	(affiliate	link):	‘Inequality’,	‘social	justice’	and	‘the	environment’	are	embedded	in	our	discussions	ofclimate	change.	These	three	terms	are	always	interlinked,	each	reverberating	with	theothers,	and	this	interlinkage	forms	the	premise	of	the	new	book	by	Lucas	Chancel,Unsustainable	Inequalities.	Offering	an	economist’s	perspective,	this	book	willsurpass	the	expectations	of	all	non-economics	readers	through	its	accessibleanalysis	and	inclusion	of	a	detailed	examination	of	social	injustice	and	environmentalunsustainability.Chancel	argues	that	social	injustice	and	environmental	unsustainability	are	connectedby	one	common	element	–	economic	inequality.	Economic	inequality	remains	the	rootcause	of	all	other	inequalities	across	the	globe.	From	societal	interactions	tointernational	diplomacy,	the	possession	or	lack	of	income	and	wealth	brings	eitherattention	or	discrimination.	The	terminology	‘developed	and	developing’	itself	points	toeconomic	inequalities	between	nations.	While	developed	countries	try	to	sustain	theirincome,	developing	countries	focus	on	economic	development	to	combat	poverty	andinequality.	Often	choices	of	development	have	resulted	in	unsustainable	environmental	policies.Spanning	seven	chapters,	the	book	demarcates	Chancel’s	arguments	in	three	parts.	Part	One	discusses	thesources	of	unsustainable	development;	Part	Two	deals	with	the	interactions	of	environmental	and	social	inequities;and	Part	Three	outlines	the	implications	of	political,	social	and	economic	policy	for	reducing	inequality	and	raisingenvironmental	protections.	The	trajectory	of	the	book’s	analysis	is	essentially	twofold.	Firstly,	it	unfolds	the	basiccause	of	all	inequalities	as	economic	inequality,	which	is	the	result	of	less	prudent	public	policy	choices:	a	fact	thatis	now	attracting	more	attention	from	international	agencies	than	ever	before.	Secondly,	Chancel	examines	the	linkbetween	this	inequality	and	environmental	inequities.	The	book	focuses	attention	on	the	principles	of	the	2030Agenda	for	Sustainable	Development	and	its	seventeen	Sustainable	Development	Goals	(SDGs)	where	equalitymeets	sustainability.	The	SDGs	are	a	United	Nations-led	collaborative	approach	uniting	all	countries	in	ensuringeconomic	development,	socially	equitable	public	policy	and	actions	against	climate	change.Throughout	Unsustainable	Inequalities,	Chancel	discusses	the	need	and	ways	to	balance	the	reduction	of	socio-economic	inequality	against	environmental	protection.	Unless	economic	inequalities	are	addressed,	the	SDGswould	remain	incomplete.	Chancel	highlights	the	fact	that	environmental	harm	is	caused	by,	and	itself	a	cause	of,social	inequalities	among	present	generations	as	well	as	between	generations.	Thus,	both	inter-generational	andintra-generational	equity	are	threatened.LSE Review of Books: Book Review: Unsustainable Inequalities: Social Justice and the Environment by Lucas Chancel Page 1 of 3		Date originally posted: 2021-03-05Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2021/03/05/book-review-unsustainable-inequalities-social-justice-and-the-environment-by-lucas-chancel/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/The	book	underscores	Chancel’s	argument	that	while	reducing	economic	inequality	leads	to	improvements	in	theenvironment	and	ecosystems,	this	is	not	an	automatic	guarantee.	But	why	can’t	inequality	be	addressed?	What	areits	causes	that	have	such	a	devastating	impact	on	social	equality	and	the	ecosystem?	Chancel	presents	hisfindings	here.	Inequalities	vary	among	nations	and	they	have	increased	within	nations	in	the	twentieth	century.According	to	him,	the	decrease	in	public	wealth	and	the	exponential	increase	in	private	wealth	are	key	factors	in	thewidening	of	wealth	inequality,	leading	to	the	confinement	of	wealth	with	a	few,	while	others	live	in	poverty	or	belowpoverty	lines	without	any	welfare	measures	from	the	state.	Additionally,	technological	innovation,	trade	and	financialglobalisation	as	well	as	the	adoption	of	neoliberal	trade	policies	have	contributed	to	the	slow	death	of	the	socialstate.Sharing	the	benefits	and	burdens	in	natural	resources	has	always	been	inequitable	–	be	it	in	access	to	naturalresources,	exposure	to	hazards,	burden-sharing	in	responsibility	and	unequal	participation	in	policymaking	as	wellas	inequalities	in	enjoying	the	benefits	of	environmental	policies.	A	parallel	could	be	drawn	here	to	the	unequaldistribution	of	wealth	among	a	small	number	of	individuals	who	are	also	highly	influential	in	politics.	The	super-richinfluence	not	only	tax	policies,	but	also	policies	on	natural	resources.	A	contradiction	arises	here	as	countries	arguefor	cleaner	energies	to	address	climate	change,	but	vehemently	support	the	rich	and	powerful	in	the	perpetuation	ofenvironmental	harm.Chancel	stresses	the	role	of	natural	resources	energy	in	inequality	to	substantiate	this	point.	Energy	is	crucial	in	theeconomic	and	social	development	of	a	nation,	improving	its	economy,	strengthening	its	health,	employmentfacilities	and	improving	socialisation.	Access	to	and	use	of	energy	are	unequal	across	the	globe	with	developedcountries	like	the	United	States	leading	the	world’s	energy	consumption;	in	many	developing	countries,	electricity	isa	dream	for	millions.	This	is	true	in	the	case	of	other	resources	like	clean	drinking	water,	healthy	food	and	territorialresources.Income	inequality	also	causes	unequal	exposure	to	risk.	Poor	people	are	vulnerable	to	both	natural	hazards	andhuman-caused	environmental	accidents,	risking	their	health,	life	and	property.	Chancel	highlights	this	through	theexample	of	discrepancies	in	the	health	impacts	caused	by	air	pollution	in	cities	like	New	Delhi.	These	cities	are	notonly	the	victims	of	hazards	but	also	of	unequal	and	untargeted	policies.	A	vicious	cycle	formed	by	economic,environmental	and	political	inequalities	is	thus	highlighted	by	Chancel.LSE Review of Books: Book Review: Unsustainable Inequalities: Social Justice and the Environment by Lucas Chancel Page 2 of 3		Date originally posted: 2021-03-05Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2021/03/05/book-review-unsustainable-inequalities-social-justice-and-the-environment-by-lucas-chancel/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/The	book	argues	for	the	need	to	reduce	economic	inequality	without	compromising	environmental	needs.	For	this,substantial	amounts	of	public	investment	are	required	in	energy,	water,	health	and	transport.	This	needs	to	besupplemented	by	efforts	to	change	social	choices	regarding	energy	and	transport.	Chancel	suggests	thatprogressive	ecological	taxation	can	be	introduced	where	every	polluter	is	held	responsible	for	paying	based	on	thelegal	principle	of	‘the	polluter	pays’.	The	benefits	of	such	taxation	should	be	spent	to	ensure	inclusiveness	amongthe	poor	to	enable	them	to	switch	to	greener	choices.	For	all	these	efforts,	a	coherent	and	collaborative	approach	inpolicymaking	is	required,	with	the	participation	of	all	stakeholders	at	local,	regional,	national	and	international	levels.Many	point	out	that	the	poor	are	simultaneously	significant	polluters	at	the	local	(although	not	the	global)	level	dueto	their	inability	to	switch	to	unaffordable	greener	choices	and	the	victims	of	that	same	pollution.	Chancel	shows	thisto	be	true.	But	why?	Unsustainable	Inequalities	provides	an	answer	–	economic	inequality.	Through	a	simple	andwell-organised	presentation	of	facts	and	figures,	this	book	has	unpacked	the	intricate	relationship	between	socialinjustice	and	environmental	harm	and	argues	for	delinking	the	complex	nexus	they	form	with	economic	inequality.This	book	is	a	highly	relevant	and	thought-provoking	read	during	the	COVID-19	pandemic	when	millions	areaffected	socially	and	economically	by	lockdowns	and	restrictions.	Our	changed	circumstances	have	nonethelessraised	hopes	for	a	better,	eco-friendly	future	if	we	have	the	determination	to	regulate	our	consumption	andemissions.Note:	This	review	gives	the	views	of	the	author,	and	not	the	position	of	the	LSE	Review	of	Books	blog,	or	of	theLondon	School	of	Economics.	The	LSE	RB	blog	may	receive	a	small	commission	if	you	choose	to	make	a	purchasethrough	the	above	Amazon	affiliate	link.	This	is	entirely	independent	of	the	coverage	of	the	book	on	LSE	Review	ofBooks.Image	Credit:	Photo	by	Markus	Spiske	on	Unsplash.	LSE Review of Books: Book Review: Unsustainable Inequalities: Social Justice and the Environment by Lucas Chancel Page 3 of 3		Date originally posted: 2021-03-05Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2021/03/05/book-review-unsustainable-inequalities-social-justice-and-the-environment-by-lucas-chancel/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/

Book review: Unsustainable inequalities: social justice and the environment by Lucas Chancel

Book	Review:	Unsustainable	Inequalities:	SocialJustice	and	the	Environment	by	Lucas	ChancelIn	Unsustainable	Inequalities:	Social	Justice	and	the	Environment,	Lucas	Chancel	demonstrates	the	role	thateconomic	inequality	plays	in	maintaining	social	injustice	and	environmental	unsustainability,	exploring	ways	tobetter	balance	the	reduction	of	socio-economic	inequality	and	the	strengthening	of	environmental	protections.	Thisis	an	accessible,	relevant	and	thought-provoking	analysis	that	uses	well-presented	facts	and	figure	to	unpack	theintricate	relationship	between	social	injustice	and	environmental	harm,	finds	Gayathri	D.	Naik.	If	you	are	interested	in	this	book,	you	can	listen	to	or	watch	author	Lucas	Chancel	in	conversation	with	LSE’sDr	Alina	Averchenkova,	recorded	at	an	October	2020	online	event	hosted	by	LSE’s	InternationalInequalities	Institute.Unsustainable	Inequalities:	Social	Justice	and	the	Environment.	Lucas	Chancel.	Harvard	University	Press.2020.Find	this	book	(affiliate	link):	‘Inequality’,	‘social	justice’	and	‘the	environment’	are	embedded	in	our	discussions	ofclimate	change.	These	three	terms	are	always	interlinked,	each	reverberating	with	theothers,	and	this	interlinkage	forms	the	premise	of	the	new	book	by	Lucas	Chancel,Unsustainable	Inequalities.	Offering	an	economist’s	perspective,	this	book	willsurpass	the	expectations	of	all	non-economics	readers	through	its	accessibleanalysis	and	inclusion	of	a	detailed	examination	of	social	injustice	and	environmentalunsustainability.Chancel	argues	that	social	injustice	and	environmental	unsustainability	are	connectedby	one	common	element	–	economic	inequality.	Economic	inequality	remains	the	rootcause	of	all	other	inequalities	across	the	globe.	From	societal	interactions	tointernational	diplomacy,	the	possession	or	lack	of	income	and	wealth	brings	eitherattention	or	discrimination.	The	terminology	‘developed	and	developing’	itself	points	toeconomic	inequalities	between	nations.	While	developed	countries	try	to	sustain	theirincome,	developing	countries	focus	on	economic	development	to	combat	poverty	andinequality.	Often	choices	of	development	have	resulted	in	unsustainable	environmental	policies.Spanning	seven	chapters,	the	book	demarcates	Chancel’s	arguments	in	three	parts.	Part	One	discusses	thesources	of	unsustainable	development;	Part	Two	deals	with	the	interactions	of	environmental	and	social	inequities;and	Part	Three	outlines	the	implications	of	political,	social	and	economic	policy	for	reducing	inequality	and	raisingenvironmental	protections.	The	trajectory	of	the	book’s	analysis	is	essentially	twofold.	Firstly,	it	unfolds	the	basiccause	of	all	inequalities	as	economic	inequality,	which	is	the	result	of	less	prudent	public	policy	choices:	a	fact	thatis	now	attracting	more	attention	from	international	agencies	than	ever	before.	Secondly,	Chancel	examines	the	linkbetween	this	inequality	and	environmental	inequities.	The	book	focuses	attention	on	the	principles	of	the	2030Agenda	for	Sustainable	Development	and	its	seventeen	Sustainable	Development	Goals	(SDGs)	where	equalitymeets	sustainability.	The	SDGs	are	a	United	Nations-led	collaborative	approach	uniting	all	countries	in	ensuringeconomic	development,	socially	equitable	public	policy	and	actions	against	climate	change.Throughout	Unsustainable	Inequalities,	Chancel	discusses	the	need	and	ways	to	balance	the	reduction	of	socio-economic	inequality	against	environmental	protection.	Unless	economic	inequalities	are	addressed,	the	SDGswould	remain	incomplete.	Chancel	highlights	the	fact	that	environmental	harm	is	caused	by,	and	itself	a	cause	of,social	inequalities	among	present	generations	as	well	as	between	generations.	Thus,	both	inter-generational	andintra-generational	equity	are	threatened.USApp – American Politics and Policy Blog: Book Review: Unsustainable Inequalities: Social Justice and the Environment by Lucas Chancel Page 1 of 3		Date originally posted: 2021-04-25Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2021/04/25/book-review-unsustainable-inequalities-social-justice-and-the-environment-by-lucas-chancel/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/The	book	underscores	Chancel’s	argument	that	while	reducing	economic	inequality	leads	to	improvements	in	theenvironment	and	ecosystems,	this	is	not	an	automatic	guarantee.	But	why	can’t	inequality	be	addressed?	What	areits	causes	that	have	such	a	devastating	impact	on	social	equality	and	the	ecosystem?	Chancel	presents	hisfindings	here.	Inequalities	vary	among	nations	and	they	have	increased	within	nations	in	the	twentieth	century.According	to	him,	the	decrease	in	public	wealth	and	the	exponential	increase	in	private	wealth	are	key	factors	in	thewidening	of	wealth	inequality,	leading	to	the	confinement	of	wealth	with	a	few,	while	others	live	in	poverty	or	belowpoverty	lines	without	any	welfare	measures	from	the	state.	Additionally,	technological	innovation,	trade	and	financialglobalisation	as	well	as	the	adoption	of	neoliberal	trade	policies	have	contributed	to	the	slow	death	of	the	socialstate.Sharing	the	benefits	and	burdens	in	natural	resources	has	always	been	inequitable	–	be	it	in	access	to	naturalresources,	exposure	to	hazards,	burden-sharing	in	responsibility	and	unequal	participation	in	policymaking	as	wellas	inequalities	in	enjoying	the	benefits	of	environmental	policies.	A	parallel	could	be	drawn	here	to	the	unequaldistribution	of	wealth	among	a	small	number	of	individuals	who	are	also	highly	influential	in	politics.	The	super-richinfluence	not	only	tax	policies,	but	also	policies	on	natural	resources.	A	contradiction	arises	here	as	countries	arguefor	cleaner	energies	to	address	climate	change,	but	vehemently	support	the	rich	and	powerful	in	the	perpetuation	ofenvironmental	harm.Chancel	stresses	the	role	of	natural	resources	energy	in	inequality	to	substantiate	this	point.	Energy	is	crucial	in	theeconomic	and	social	development	of	a	nation,	improving	its	economy,	strengthening	its	health,	employmentfacilities	and	improving	socialisation.	Access	to	and	use	of	energy	are	unequal	across	the	globe	with	developedcountries	like	the	United	States	leading	the	world’s	energy	consumption;	in	many	developing	countries,	electricity	isa	dream	for	millions.	This	is	true	in	the	case	of	other	resources	like	clean	drinking	water,	healthy	food	and	territorialresources.Income	inequality	also	causes	unequal	exposure	to	risk.	Poor	people	are	vulnerable	to	both	natural	hazards	andhuman-caused	environmental	accidents,	risking	their	health,	life	and	property.	Chancel	highlights	this	through	theexample	of	discrepancies	in	the	health	impacts	caused	by	air	pollution	in	cities	like	New	Delhi.	These	cities	are	notonly	the	victims	of	hazards	but	also	of	unequal	and	untargeted	policies.	A	vicious	cycle	formed	by	economic,environmental	and	political	inequalities	is	thus	highlighted	by	Chancel.USApp – American Politics and Policy Blog: Book Review: Unsustainable Inequalities: Social Justice and the Environment by Lucas Chancel Page 2 of 3		Date originally posted: 2021-04-25Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2021/04/25/book-review-unsustainable-inequalities-social-justice-and-the-environment-by-lucas-chancel/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/The	book	argues	for	the	need	to	reduce	economic	inequality	without	compromising	environmental	needs.	For	this,substantial	amounts	of	public	investment	are	required	in	energy,	water,	health	and	transport.	This	needs	to	besupplemented	by	efforts	to	change	social	choices	regarding	energy	and	transport.	Chancel	suggests	thatprogressive	ecological	taxation	can	be	introduced	where	every	polluter	is	held	responsible	for	paying	based	on	thelegal	principle	of	‘the	polluter	pays’.	The	benefits	of	such	taxation	should	be	spent	to	ensure	inclusiveness	amongthe	poor	to	enable	them	to	switch	to	greener	choices.	For	all	these	efforts,	a	coherent	and	collaborative	approach	inpolicymaking	is	required,	with	the	participation	of	all	stakeholders	at	local,	regional,	national	and	international	levels.Many	point	out	that	the	poor	are	simultaneously	significant	polluters	at	the	local	(although	not	the	global)	level	dueto	their	inability	to	switch	to	unaffordable	greener	choices	and	the	victims	of	that	same	pollution.	Chancel	shows	thisto	be	true.	But	why?	Unsustainable	Inequalities	provides	an	answer	–	economic	inequality.	Through	a	simple	andwell-organised	presentation	of	facts	and	figures,	this	book	has	unpacked	the	intricate	relationship	between	socialinjustice	and	environmental	harm	and	argues	for	delinking	the	complex	nexus	they	form	with	economic	inequality.This	book	is	a	highly	relevant	and	thought-provoking	read	during	the	COVID-19	pandemic	when	millions	areaffected	socially	and	economically	by	lockdowns	and	restrictions.	Our	changed	circumstances	have	nonethelessraised	hopes	for	a	better,	eco-friendly	future	if	we	have	the	determination	to	regulate	our	consumption	andemissions.This	article	originally	appeared	at	the	LSE	Review	of	Books.Image	Credit:	Photo	by	Markus	Spiske	on	Unsplash.Please	read	our	comments	policy	before	commenting.	Note:	This	article	gives	the	views	of	the	authors,	and	not	the	position	of	USAPP–	American	Politics	and	Policy,	norof	the	London	School	of	Economics.	Shortened	URL	for	this	post:	https://bit.ly/3xl1IRyAbout	the	reviewerGayathri	D	Naik	–	SOAS,	University	of	LondonGayathri	D	Naik	is	a	Doctoral	Candidate	at	the	School	of	Law,	SOAS,	University	of	London.	She	holds	BAL.LLB(Government	Law	College,	Ernakulam),	MPA	(Indira	Gandhi	Open	University,	New	Delhi)	and	LLM	(South	AsianUniversity,	New	Delhi).	She	is	a	Commonwealth	Scholar	from	India.	Her	doctoral	research	looks	into	equity	andgroundwater	issues	in	India.USApp – American Politics and Policy Blog: Book Review: Unsustainable Inequalities: Social Justice and the Environment by Lucas Chancel Page 3 of 3		Date originally posted: 2021-04-25Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2021/04/25/book-review-unsustainable-inequalities-social-justice-and-the-environment-by-lucas-chancel/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/

In Unsustainable Inequalities: Social Justice and the Environment, Lucas Chancel demonstrates the role that economic inequality plays in maintaining social injustice and environmental unsustainability, exploring ways to better balance the reduction of socio-economic inequality and the strengthening of environmental protections. This is an accessible, relevant and thought-provoking analysis that uses well-presented facts and figures to unpack the intricate relationship between social injustice and environmental harm, finds Gayathri D. Naik

Book	Review:	Unsustainable	Inequalities:	SocialJustice	and	the	Environment	by	Lucas	ChancelIn	Unsustainable	Inequalities:	Social	Justice	and	the	Environment,	Lucas	Chancel	demonstrates	the	role	thateconomic	inequality	plays	in	maintaining	social	injustice	and	environmental	unsustainability,	exploring	ways	tobetter	balance	the	reduction	of	socio-economic	inequality	and	the	strengthening	of	environmental	protections.	Thisis	an	accessible,	relevant	and	thought-provoking	analysis	that	uses	well-presented	facts	and	figures	to	unpack	theintricate	relationship	between	social	injustice	and	environmental	harm,	finds	Gayathri	D.	Naik.	If	you	are	interested	in	this	book,	you	can	listen	to	or	watch	author	Lucas	Chancel	in	conversation	with	LSE’s	DrAlina	Averchenkova,	recorded	at	an	October	2020	online	event	hosted	by	LSE’s	International	InequalitiesInstitute.Unsustainable	Inequalities:	Social	Justice	and	the	Environment.	Lucas	Chancel.	Harvard	University	Press.2020.Find	this	book	(affiliate	link):	‘Inequality’,	‘social	justice’	and	‘the	environment’	are	embedded	in	our	discussions	ofclimate	change.	These	three	terms	are	always	interlinked,	each	reverberating	with	theothers,	and	this	interlinkage	forms	the	premise	of	the	new	book	by	LucasChancel,	Unsustainable	Inequalities.	Offering	an	economist’s	perspective,	this	bookwill	surpass	the	expectations	of	all	non-economics	readers	through	its	accessibleanalysis	and	inclusion	of	a	detailed	examination	of	social	injustice	and	environmentalunsustainability.Chancel	argues	that	social	injustice	and	environmental	unsustainability	are	connectedby	one	common	element	–	economic	inequality.	Economic	inequality	remains	the	rootcause	of	all	other	inequalities	across	the	globe.	From	societal	interactions	tointernational	diplomacy,	the	possession	or	lack	of	income	and	wealth	brings	eitherattention	or	discrimination.	The	terminology	‘developed	and	developing’	itself	points	toeconomic	inequalities	between	nations.	While	developed	countries	try	to	sustain	theirincome,	developing	countries	focus	on	economic	development	to	combat	poverty	andinequality.	Often	choices	of	development	have	resulted	in	unsustainable	environmental	policies.Spanning	seven	chapters,	the	book	demarcates	Chancel’s	arguments	in	three	parts.	Part	One	discusses	thesources	of	unsustainable	development;	Part	Two	deals	with	the	interactions	of	environmental	and	social	inequities;and	Part	Three	outlines	the	implications	of	political,	social	and	economic	policy	for	reducing	inequality	and	raisingenvironmental	protections.	The	trajectory	of	the	book’s	analysis	is	essentially	twofold.	Firstly,	it	unfolds	the	basiccause	of	all	inequalities	as	economic	inequality,	which	is	the	result	of	less	prudent	public	policy	choices:	a	fact	thatis	now	attracting	more	attention	from	international	agencies	than	ever	before.	Secondly,	Chancel	examines	the	linkbetween	this	inequality	and	environmental	inequities.	The	book	focuses	attention	on	the	principles	of	the	2030Agenda	for	Sustainable	Development	and	its	seventeen	Sustainable	Development	Goals	(SDGs)	where	equalitymeets	sustainability.	The	SDGs	are	a	United	Nations-led	collaborative	approach	uniting	all	countries	in	ensuringeconomic	development,	socially	equitable	public	policy	and	actions	against	climate	change.Throughout	Unsustainable	Inequalities,	Chancel	discusses	the	need	and	ways	to	balance	the	reduction	of	socio-economic	inequality	against	environmental	protection.	Unless	economic	inequalities	are	addressed,	the	SDGswould	remain	incomplete.	Chancel	highlights	the	fact	that	environmental	harm	is	caused	by,	and	itself	a	cause	of,social	inequalities	among	present	generations	as	well	as	between	generations.	Thus,	both	inter-generational	andintra-generational	equity	are	threatened.LSE European Politics and Policy (EUROPP) Blog: Book Review: Unsustainable Inequalities: Social Justice and the Environment by Lucas Chancel Page 1 of 2		Date originally posted: 2021-03-07Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2021/03/07/book-review-unsustainable-inequalities-social-justice-and-the-environment-by-lucas-chancel/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/The	book	underscores	Chancel’s	argument	that	while	reducing	economic	inequality	leads	to	improvements	in	theenvironment	and	ecosystems,	this	is	not	an	automatic	guarantee.	But	why	can’t	inequality	be	addressed?	What	areits	causes	that	have	such	a	devastating	impact	on	social	equality	and	the	ecosystem?	Chancel	presents	hisfindings	here.	Inequalities	vary	among	nations	and	they	have	increased	within	nations	in	the	twentieth	century.According	to	him,	the	decrease	in	public	wealth	and	the	exponential	increase	in	private	wealth	are	key	factors	in	thewidening	of	wealth	inequality,	leading	to	the	confinement	of	wealth	with	a	few,	while	others	live	in	poverty	or	belowpoverty	lines	without	any	welfare	measures	from	the	state.	Additionally,	technological	innovation,	trade	and	financialglobalisation	as	well	as	the	adoption	of	neoliberal	trade	policies	have	contributed	to	the	slow	death	of	the	socialstate.Sharing	the	benefits	and	burdens	in	natural	resources	has	always	been	inequitable	–	be	it	in	access	to	naturalresources,	exposure	to	hazards,	burden-sharing	in	responsibility	and	unequal	participation	in	policymaking	as	wellas	inequalities	in	enjoying	the	benefits	of	environmental	policies.	A	parallel	could	be	drawn	here	to	the	unequaldistribution	of	wealth	among	a	small	number	of	individuals	who	are	also	highly	influential	in	politics.	The	super-richinfluence	not	only	tax	policies,	but	also	policies	on	natural	resources.	A	contradiction	arises	here	as	countries	arguefor	cleaner	energies	to	address	climate	change,	but	vehemently	support	the	rich	and	powerful	in	the	perpetuation	ofenvironmental	harm.Chancel	stresses	the	role	of	natural	resources	energy	in	inequality	to	substantiate	this	point.	Energy	is	crucial	in	theeconomic	and	social	development	of	a	nation,	improving	its	economy,	strengthening	its	health,	employmentfacilities	and	improving	socialisation.	Access	to	and	use	of	energy	are	unequal	across	the	globe	with	developedcountries	like	the	United	States	leading	the	world’s	energy	consumption;	in	many	developing	countries,	electricity	isa	dream	for	millions.	This	is	true	in	the	case	of	other	resources	like	clean	drinking	water,	healthy	food	and	territorialresources.Income	inequality	also	causes	unequal	exposure	to	risk.	Poor	people	are	vulnerable	to	both	natural	hazards	andhuman-caused	environmental	accidents,	risking	their	health,	life	and	property.	Chancel	highlights	this	through	theexample	of	discrepancies	in	the	health	impacts	caused	by	air	pollution	in	cities	like	New	Delhi.	These	cities	are	notonly	the	victims	of	hazards	but	also	of	unequal	and	untargeted	policies.	A	vicious	cycle	formed	by	economic,environmental	and	political	inequalities	is	thus	highlighted	by	Chancel.The	book	argues	for	the	need	to	reduce	economic	inequality	without	compromising	environmental	needs.	For	this,substantial	amounts	of	public	investment	are	required	in	energy,	water,	health	and	transport.	This	needs	to	besupplemented	by	efforts	to	change	social	choices	regarding	energy	and	transport.	Chancel	suggests	thatprogressive	ecological	taxation	can	be	introduced	where	every	polluter	is	held	responsible	for	paying	based	on	thelegal	principle	of	‘the	polluter	pays’.	The	benefits	of	such	taxation	should	be	spent	to	ensure	inclusiveness	amongthe	poor	to	enable	them	to	switch	to	greener	choices.	For	all	these	efforts,	a	coherent	and	collaborative	approach	inpolicymaking	is	required,	with	the	participation	of	all	stakeholders	at	local,	regional,	national	and	international	levels.Many	point	out	that	the	poor	are	simultaneously	significant	polluters	at	the	local	(although	not	the	global)	level	dueto	their	inability	to	switch	to	unaffordable	greener	choices	and	the	victims	of	that	same	pollution.	Chancel	shows	thisto	be	true.	But	why?	Unsustainable	Inequalities	provides	an	answer	–	economic	inequality.	Through	a	simple	andwell-organised	presentation	of	facts	and	figures,	this	book	has	unpacked	the	intricate	relationship	between	socialinjustice	and	environmental	harm	and	argues	for	delinking	the	complex	nexus	they	form	with	economic	inequality.This	book	is	a	highly	relevant	and	thought-provoking	read	during	the	COVID-19	pandemic	when	millions	areaffected	socially	and	economically	by	lockdowns	and	restrictions.	Our	changed	circumstances	have	nonethelessraised	hopes	for	a	better,	eco-friendly	future	if	we	have	the	determination	to	regulate	our	consumption	andemissions.Note:	This	article	first	appeared	at	our	sister	site,	LSE	Review	of	Books.	It	gives	the	views	of	the	author,	not	theposition	of	EUROPP	–	European	Politics	and	Policy	or	the	London	School	of	Economics.	Featured	imagecredit:	Markus	Spiske	on	UnsplashLSE European Politics and Policy (EUROPP) Blog: Book Review: Unsustainable Inequalities: Social Justice and the Environment by Lucas Chancel Page 2 of 2		Date originally posted: 2021-03-07Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2021/03/07/book-review-unsustainable-inequalities-social-justice-and-the-environment-by-lucas-chancel/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/

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Book review: Unsustainable inequalities: social justice and the environment by Lucas Chancel

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