 Eco-Responsibility: Constructing an Ethical, Social, and Ecological FrameworkLa EcoResponsabilidad: construcción de un marco ético, social y ecológicoMiguel Stuardo-Concha ()
Post-Print from HAL Abstract: This article argues that eco-responsibility should become a foundational ethical framework for addressing the environmental and social challenges of the Anthropocene. Drawing on contemporary climate science and critical political economy, the author contends that the current neoliberal model, characterized by the pursuit of unlimited economic growth, has exceeded the Earth's ecological limits and undermined the regenerative capacity of the biosphere. This unsustainable paradigm necessitates a profound transformation of economic systems, organizational practices, and societal values. The paper situates this transformation within the context of international initiatives such as the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal, emphasizing that achieving their objectives requires organizations and institutions to place ecological responsibility and ecological footprints at the center of decision-making. It reviews several alternative approaches—including degrowth, circular economy, regenerative economy, solidarity economy, reduced working hours, workplace democracy, and the adoption of new indicators of social progress—that seek to reconcile human well-being with ecological constraints. Conceptually, the author develops eco-responsibility by combining two key constructs: the ecological notion of the ecosystem (derived from the Greek oikos, meaning "home") and an expanded understanding of ethical responsibility. Eco-responsibility is defined as an ethical commitment that extends human responsibility toward both living and non-living components of the ecosystem. It integrates ecological, moral, and legal dimensions, framing environmental stewardship as both an ethical obligation and a political project. The article proposes eco-responsibility as a dynamic and scalable ethical construct applicable at multiple levels, from individual behavior to organizations, states, and supranational institutions. It emphasizes awareness of the socio-ecological impacts of economic activity, recognition of the Earth's biophysical limits, and the adoption of more austere, regenerative, and ecologically harmonious ways of living. While acknowledging that individual actions alone are insufficient, the author argues that personal transformation constitutes the starting point for broader institutional and societal change. Ultimately, the article presents eco-responsibility as an ethics of care that transcends anthropocentrism, seeking to preserve ecological balance and ensure the long-term continuity of life and human well-being. It advocates integrating eco-responsibility into both everyday practices and public policy as a guiding principle for sustainable societal transformation. Keywords: Eco-Responsibility; Organizational theory (search for similar items in EconPapers) Published in 2025 Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05349342 Access Statistics for this paper More papers in Post-Print from HAL |
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