Imagine if world decisions were predominantly made more by women and not men. Would we have fought all those wars? Would climate change be threatening the existence of humans on earth? Would half of the world be in poverty? The state of the world and future of humankind could have been different.
It is time for equity to take root and leadership to be shared for determining our common destinies.
The natural leadership provided by women in the domestic front as the guardians of value transferring processes from generation to generation in the region now needs to be transformed into leadership in other institutionalized areas as well. From governance, civil society and media to enterprises, the role of women is now most required.

In a climate challenged and resource constrained world, the natural compassion and sensitivities of a woman could be the answer towards finding a future generation of sustainable enterprise.
This paper attempts to showcase the challenges facing the world and propose a way forward, and in the process build a case for women to guide the destiny of climate sustainability in South Asia, especially in their role as sustainable entrepreneurs.

Climate sustainability
The phenomenon of climate change reminds us that human sustainability will depend largely on the sustainability of the ecological systems. If sustainable development for us humans on earth will depend on the endurance we exercise within the changes of the climate, then we in return need to focus more on helping to improve the endurance of the planet. This means that we should live and behave in such a way that would not compromise the capacity and wellbeing of the earth’s total ecological system.

Growing consumer classes
The growing consumer classes in countries with rapid economic development add more pressure on our resources. A whole new value system on consumption is needed. An hour with Noble laureate Dr. Mohamad Yunus at the Grameen Bank during my visit to Bangladesh in 2004 highlighted the impact of industrial development on the lifestyles of young rural women.

The new wave of jobs at the garment factories had induced young women into the city. The new found cash income in the hands of these young women had created a new sense of consumer power that had in turn boosted sales of cheap lipstick and other cosmetics. Anything that rich society does creates fashions and trends across the world and this applies equally to Bangladeshi women. So they all want lipstick!

Asian Review on Sustainable Consumption
The Asian Review on Sustainable Consumption proposed that the primary goal of sustainable consumption should be to assure quality of life for all. It suggested that sustainable consumption planning should be targeted to enable wellbeing and ensure happiness for all.

The report emphasizes that equity in consumption is a major challenge of the international community that seeks to regulate unsustainable consumption patterns. If the Sustainable Consumption agenda cannot address the basis requirements of most humans on earth such as food, clothing and shelter and understand that issues such as food security, fair trade and good governance are intrinsically linked to creating sustainable consumption, then the process will naturally fail.

The proposed model to achieve Sustainable Consumption in Asia is a preliminary step towards guiding such an Asian Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption.

Way forward on Earth
A green economy is a transition towards a sustainable world order. A new generation of sustainable enterprises is needed to make the green markets and zero carbon economies work. Therefore a common vision for an ‘equity’ based world order should be based on a commitment towards creating wellbeing and happiness for all and replacing the growth based economic development model with the ‘green economy.’

Roles and responsibilities of women in sustainable enterprise
It is said that women perform 66% of the world’s work and produce 50% of the food, while earning 10% of the income and owning 1% of the property. The current scenario not only deprives women from assuming their rights but also blocks the aspirations of a sustainable world order.

Therefore, leadership from women in guiding world climate sustainability needs to focus on several aspects. For example, women leaders in enterprise, business and industry will need to ensure that women are empowered to perform a dual role of domestic leadership and professional and entrepreneurial leadership.

Women leaders also need to focus on social wellbeing, environmental conservation and economic prosperity. Sustainability should be guided by women and embedded in all aspects of leadership.

(The writer is the Chairman – Global Sustainability Solutions & Executive Director – Centre for Environment & Development. This is part of a paper presented at the the International Conference on ‘Cooperative Development, Peace and Security: Women Guiding the Destiny of South Asia’ on 13-15th April 2010 in Chandigarh, India)