What Role Does Social Equity Have in Creating a Sustainable Society?

Social equity is an often forgotten part of sustainable societies - here are some things to chew on

On a global scale, a sustainable society can be defined as one that meets its needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. Breaking this down further, human well-being can be categorized into four elements: basic human needs (such as access to food and clean water), economic needs (the ability to support oneself or one's family through work or trade), environmental needs (which relate to the ecosystem services our natural world provides as necessary resources for survival), and subjective well-being (which pertains to a person's ability to lead a fulfilling life, with mental health and support playing a central role in this aspect).

Social equity focuses on that fourth element—subjective well-being—which is just as crucial as the other three. Human access to resources that enable a fulfilling life is essential for developing a sustainable society. Access to affordable healthcare, healthy food, green spaces, education, and full participation in the political and cultural life of the community are all necessary for people to thrive. This is the foundation upon which a sustainable society should base its actions—not merely survival.

The concept of intergenerational equity is also important. It involves the process by which natural and cultural resources, which previous generations have enjoyed, are transferred in their entirety to future generations. As the current stewards of these resources, it is our responsibility to ensure that the decisions we make allow future generations to access these same rights.

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Challenges to Achieving Social Equity

The issue with our current society is that it often views the incorporation of all of the "basic human needs" above as the gateway to an impossible utopia. Many believe that no society could ever fully incorporate all of these needs, especially when they may conflict with individual beliefs or values.

A radical overhaul of our current system is, unfortunately, at the mercy of a group of people who have little interest in addressing these needs. On both a national and international level, it seems unlikely that these needs will ever be met, regardless of who is in power. However, this should not diminish the importance of advocating for social equity.

Here’s why:

Change can start within one's own community, through how individuals treat others and by contributing their unique skills or resources to help others. This is the basic structure of a functional society, even at a local level. The scale of the “society” shouldn’t matter; what is crucial is the accessibility of the resources to meet these needs.

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Taking Action: Building Stronger Communities

What I am getting at is this: a town or city can sustain itself if its members are willing to embrace the principles of social equity. When a group of people shares a common moral compass that prioritizes the community's needs above individual desires, they can work together in the same way that an ecosystem functions—where animals, plants, and bacteria collaborate to provide the resources they all need to thrive.

The challenges faced by a country should not necessarily be the same challenges faced by individual communities. If a group of people decides to prioritize basic human needs, they can operate within the framework of a nation without conforming to its societal norms.

It might sound like I'm advocating for normalizing hippie communes. I have no comment on this accusation… but it doesn't have to be framed in that way.

We spend a lot of physical, mental, and emotional energy trying to reason with the structures and decisions handed down by the so-called leaders of our society. While many livelihoods are currently being severely impacted by these radical decisions, we can still prioritize social equity through our day-to-day actions by supporting each other in advocating and providing access to the resources that meet these basic human needs.

Addressing mental health in the context of our current climate may be one of the most challenging areas to provide resources for, as it’s difficult to determine when 'thriving' should be considered the baseline. However, it’s also an area where strong community support and open communication can help build the resilience needed to advocate for it. Remember to be intentional with looking out for each other’s emotional well-being. Prioritize taking the time to reach out to your friends, family, and co-workers and showing that you’re there for them.

What I'm ultimately saying is that instead of spending ALL of our energy griping about the chaos that will unfold over the next who-knows-how-many years, we need to step up for one another in ways that society won't. Increase access to the services you can provide, give more than you take, and ask people what they need—whether that need is tangible or intangible.