The Scoop on Climate Justice
A Local Vegan Ice Cream Shop’s Role in a Changing World

ELIZABETH VOSS AND SARAH THOMFORDE IN CONVERSATION WITH ALINE JUNG
The concepts of sustainability and sustainable development have been around for a long time, but came to wider prominence after the publication of the 1987 Brudtland report, which states, “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”1, and was further refined by the UN sustainable development goals to include the concept of “living well within certain ecological boundaries”2. Deeply intertwined with sustainable development is the concept of climate justice. Climate justice extends beyond scientific realities of a warming planet into ethical dimensions of who bears climate change’s burdens and who benefits from its solutions. It highlights disproportionate impacts on vulnerable communities while advocating for equitable responses. One claim of climate justice is a claim to mitigation. In practical terms this means finding ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GGEs) to stop global warming and thereby protect those most vulnerable from harm. Because we in the Global North are responsible for the large majority of GGEs, we are ethically obligated to take action against climate change. While policy and structural change are necessary to bring about large-scale mitigation, we as individuals can and must also take action. One way is through our diets, and small local enterprises can also contribute meaningfully to this global challenge. This essay explores the climate justice implications of “enila,” a vegan ice cream shop in Basel, Switzerland, run by Aline Jung, examining how such a business contributes to a more just and sustainable food future. We begin by discussing the environmental impact of the food system, followed by an analysis of enila’s role in providing positive change towards climate justice. The paper ends by providing some reflection and limitations to the role a vegan diet and a single vegan restaurant play within the climate justice movement.
A Local Vegan Ice Cream Shop’s Role in a Changing World

ELIZABETH VOSS AND SARAH THOMFORDE IN CONVERSATION WITH ALINE JUNG
The concepts of sustainability and sustainable development have been around for a long time, but came to wider prominence after the publication of the 1987 Brudtland report, which states, “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”1, and was further refined by the UN sustainable development goals to include the concept of “living well within certain ecological boundaries”2. Deeply intertwined with sustainable development is the concept of climate justice. Climate justice extends beyond scientific realities of a warming planet into ethical dimensions of who bears climate change’s burdens and who benefits from its solutions. It highlights disproportionate impacts on vulnerable communities while advocating for equitable responses. One claim of climate justice is a claim to mitigation. In practical terms this means finding ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GGEs) to stop global warming and thereby protect those most vulnerable from harm. Because we in the Global North are responsible for the large majority of GGEs, we are ethically obligated to take action against climate change. While policy and structural change are necessary to bring about large-scale mitigation, we as individuals can and must also take action. One way is through our diets, and small local enterprises can also contribute meaningfully to this global challenge. This essay explores the climate justice implications of “enila,” a vegan ice cream shop in Basel, Switzerland, run by Aline Jung, examining how such a business contributes to a more just and sustainable food future. We begin by discussing the environmental impact of the food system, followed by an analysis of enila’s role in providing positive change towards climate justice. The paper ends by providing some reflection and limitations to the role a vegan diet and a single vegan restaurant play within the climate justice movement.
Climate Justice: Basel in the World is a colloquium at the University of Basel, co-organized in the spring semester 2025 by students from the AG Nachhaltigkeit and Prof. Dr. Janina Grabs. It is supported through funding by Impuls.