GENEVA - A UN expert today called for a major overhaul of global development, unveiling a new roadmap designed to end poverty without pushing the planet beyond its limits.
"For decades, the dominant narrative has been that economic growth is the only route out of poverty," said Olivier De Schutter, the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights. "Yet, this is neither realistic nor sustainable, and is often counterproductive."
In his Roadmap for Eradicating Poverty Beyond Growth, the expert called for a decisive change in how governments and international institutions tackle the issue.
"The global economy we have built is funnelling vast wealth into the hands of a tiny elite, weakening democratic institutions, and trapping millions in poorly paid work," De Schutter said. "It relies on the plundering of natural resources and cheap labour in the Global South, and has caused irreparable damage to the planet."
"In the name of competitiveness and growth, governments have also weakened labour protections, deregulated markets, and cut public services - deepening insecurity and inequality," he said.
The Roadmap draws on contributions from more than 400 experts across the UN system, academia, governments, civil society and trade unions. It offers concrete policy options for transitioning to a human rights economy that reduces poverty and inequality without relying on socially and ecologically destructive economic growth.
"There is a growing consensus on the need for credible alternatives to our growth-at-all-costs economic model," the Special Rapporteur said.
"When I began my mandate six years ago, the 'beyond growth' agenda was at the margins. Today, as our economic structures hurtle us towards climate catastrophe and extreme levels of inequality, it is increasingly shaping the debate."
He outlined policies in the Roadmap which aim at strengthening universal public services and care systems, guaranteeing access to decent work through a public employment guarantee, introducing income security mechanisms such as a universal basic income, and reducing working time while ensuring fair and living wages.
The expert also stressed the requirements needed to finance these transformations, from wealth and inheritance taxes, to cancelling the unsustainable sovereign debt burdens that prevent many countries from investing in social protection.
While low- and middle-income may still require growth to invest in infrastructure, public services and social protection, De Schutter warned that the challenge is to support growth that is less dependent on exploitative global supply chains, enabling development without perpetuating inequality or environmental harm.
The Special Rapporteur underscored the need to shape the next generation of anti-poverty efforts - including the global development goals that will replace the Sustainable Development Goals when they expire in 2030, as well as the creation of a new International Panel on Inequality - to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.
"Both will fall short if they do not look beyond growth," De Schutter said. "Ending poverty is one of humanity's most urgent challenges, but it will remain out of reach unless we are willing to rethink the economic assumptions that have misguided policymaking for generations."
