The “Three Zero Theory” is a path for the younger generation to a sustainable new civilisation, says Professor Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Laureate economist and chief adviser to the government of Bangladesh.
Prof Yunus laid out his bold vision in a keynote speech at the first Bimstec Young Gen Forum: Where the Future Meets, hosted on Thursday in Bangkok by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with TNN World.
He called on budding entrepreneurs across the Bay of Bengal region represented by Bimstec to abandon outdated frameworks in favour of new paradigms for growth.
“If we want to build a new civilisation, we must leave old ideas behind because they were the cradle of the old civilisation,” he said.
He proposed a visionary framework called “Three Zero”, referring to zero carbon emissions, zero wealth concentration and zero unemployment.
Prof Yunus argued that business in this new civilisation must not be driven by greed, which he warned inevitably leads to wealth accumulating among a select few.
“When wealth becomes concentrated, power follows. And if power is not shared with the people, society collapses,” he said.
“We often label rising wealth among the few as ‘development’, ‘economic growth’, or a ‘great economy’. But these are, in fact, seeds of collapse. Without equitable distribution, society cannot survive.”
He criticised modern society’s deep-rooted consumerism, stating that the pursuit of this at all costs has led to unsustainable waste and environmental degradation.
“Life should not be about producing waste, but conserving and protecting the environment,” said Prof Yunus, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for founding the Grameen Bank and pioneering microcredit and microfinance.
Central to his concept of zero unemployment is a redefinition of what employment means.
Instead of seeking traditional jobs, he urged society to empower everyone, especially the younger generation, to become entrepreneurs.
“Every human being is born with an entrepreneurial skill,” he asserted, challenging the current education system.
“Schools should teach students how to be entrepreneurs, not job seekers. Today’s youth have far more potential than previous generations.”
To help realise his, Prof Yunus encouraged people aged 12 to 35 to form “Three Zero Clubs”, grassroots movements dedicated to low-carbon living, wealth equity, and the entrepreneurial spirit.
“This idea must begin small, in communities,” he said. “If it works, it can be expanded. Life is about building prototypes. Once you have a working model, the rest becomes easy. If one model works, it can be replicated thousands of times.
“Start small. If you succeed on a small scale, you can conquer the world.”
