Mainstreaming Climate Change Mitigation through the Co-operative Principles

Abstract

Co-operatives as grassroots institutions range from small-scale to multi-million-dollar businesses with more than 800 million individual members across the global supply chain activities. Thus, they can play a vital role in building socio-ecological resilience in the initiative aiming at mitigating climate change implications. However, their endeavours are challenged by limited resources, resistance from processing industries and limited co-operation from stakeholders across the supply chain. By reflecting the co-operative principles, the study aimed to analyse how co-operative supply chain activities can contribute to climate change mitigation. A resource dependency theory guided the study since co-operatives need to utilise resources cautiously while protecting the environment but also the available resources have to be used strategically to streamline climate change mitigation. A qualitative approach guided the study whereby a systematic literature review was conducted to source literature on co-operative principles, co-operatives supply chain operations and climate change aspects in co-operatives undertakings. Findings indicate that the co-operatives towards mainstreaming climate change mitigation are guided by the fifth principle of education, training and information as well as the seventh principle of concern for the community. Likewise, co-operatives have contributed to climate change mitigation by supporting crop diversification, usage of climatesmart technologies and machinery, improved watershed management and utilisation of renewable energy in their supply chain activities. Therefore, co-operatives have a great role to play towards ensuring environmental sustainability for future generations as it is within their core principles to have a concern for the community's wellbeing. As member-based organisations, co-operatives through their socioeconomic activities can mainstream climate change mitigation by reducing carbon emissions and promoting a sustainable development agenda. The study recommends that co-operative societies should align resources and integrate their operations along the supply chain to ensure the mitigation of climate change as required by the principle of co-operation among co-operatives.