A handbook iv the united nations environment programme the united nations environment programme unep is the overall coordinating environmental organization of the united nations system. Articles and excerpts that illustrate green economy and. United nations environment programme unep, adapting for a green economy is based on the results of a qualitative survey of business leaders who support the caring for climate initiative, a joint united nations global compactunep platform involving more than 400 businesses committed to. The green economy is defined as economy that aims at reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities, and that aims for sustainable development without degrading the environment. During the recent global financial crisis, the united nations general assembly and. Page 2016, green economy learning assessment south africa. System of environmental economic accounting seea 1. This report is the result of the collaborative efforts of the green jobs initiative which includes unep. The united nations environment programme unep defines the green economy as one that results in improved human wellbeing and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities 2010. It provides recommendations on how greening the agriculture, energy and forestry sectors can catalyze a transition to a green economy. It was founded as a result of the united nations conference on the human environment in june 1972. Kenya green economy strategy and implementation plan 2016. Articles and excerpts that illustrate green economy and sustainable development efforts. Over the past decade, the concept of the green economy has emerged as a strategic priority for many governments.
In essence, it is possible to combine the need for development, and at the same time respect the limit of the local, regional, and global environmental systems. United nations environment programme unep, adapting for a green economy is based on the results of a qualitative survey of business leaders who support the caring for climate initiative, a joint united nations global compact unep platform involving more than 400 businesses committed to advancing climate action. Its mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnerships in caring for the environment by inspiring. Critical competencies for driving a green transition. Green economy and trade trends, challenges and opportunities. Within unep, the green economy initiative includes three sets of activities. The south african approach is to ensure that green economy programmes are to be supported by practical and implementable action plan therefore importance of building on existing best processes, programmes, initiatives and indigenous knowledge in key sectors towards a resource efficient, low carbon and proemployment growth path and that. United nations system, has a key role as the steward for green growth. Module 1 introduction to the green economy approach. A green economy is one that results in improved human wellbeing and social equity. An inclusive green economy is an alternative to todays dominant economic model, which exacerbates inequalities, encourages waste, triggers resource scarcities, and generates widespread threats to the environment and human health. It aims to enable senegal to seize the opportunities offered by the green economy. A green economy is defined as low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive.
Unep defined a green economy as one that generates increaseing prosperity while at the same time reducing our environmental impact. Climate current global ghg emissions at 42 gt per annum. Unep has been pushing for a green economy by promoting low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive policies. With a little over 10 years left to meet the target date of 2030, the world will need to pick up the pace and put greater efforts in finding better solutions to pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss in order to truly transform societies and economies. All unwto and unep joint publications are protected by. The report makes a compelling economic and social case for investing two per cent of global gdp in greening ten central. Green economy in blue world united nations development. The green economy must be promoted if these barriers are to be removed. Pdf the chapter is an attempt to answer the question. According to the unep, through a transition to the green economy it will be possible to.
Benefits, challenges and risks from a sustainable development perspective summary of background papers jose antonio ocampo columbia university the concept of a green economy has become a center of policy debates in recent years. Introduction to green economy annotated reference list. The report makes a compelling economic and social case for investing two per cent of global gdp in greening ten central sectors of the economy in order to shift development and. Evolution of the concept of green economy introduction. Annual progress report a guidance manual for green. Investment in energy efficiency has been found to generate significant returns within a short payback period. The key reference point for much of the work on the green economy comes from the united nations environment programme unep. Unep defines a green economy as one that results in improved human wellbeing and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. Ghana provides comparative scenarios for future growth that estimates economic, environmental and social impacts. Delivering the green economy through financial policy inquiry into the design of a sustainable financial system 1. Green economy strategy and implementation plan 20162030 is geared towards enabling kenya to attain a higher economic growth rate consistent with the vision 2030, which firmly embeds the principles of sustainable development in the over. Inifiafives such as uneps green economy inifiafive and the oecds. The united nations environment programme unep, with the contributions of experts around the world, has produced a document containing more than 600 pages that explore environmental problems in great detail 2, together with a synthesis for policy makers. Two supporting context briefings provide additional information for the main briefing and research insights.
A green economy is one that results in improved human wellbeing and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcity. The unep recent report1 discusses a number of recommendations that would provide the necessary conditions for a successful transition to a green economy such as green investment and sustainable consumption patterns through tax incentives and marketbased instruments, green public. Delivering the green economy through financial policy. The 2011 unep green economy report argues that to be green, an economy must not only be efficient, but also fair. In response, the green economy ge movement has emerged. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of page and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of any government. Producing a green economy report and related research materials, which will analyse the macroeconomic, sustainability and poverty reduction implications of green investment in a range of sectors from renewable energy to sustainable agriculture, and providing guidance. Green economy concepts and overview of green economy. We promote the transition to economies that are low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive. Green economy is not yet defined clearly and consistently. In its simplest expression, a green economy can be thought of as one which is low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive.
Steering towards a green economy is an introduction to green economy concepts, ideas and actions with particular relevance to south africa. The key principle is that the green economy is about seeking economic opportunities from. About green economy department of environmental affairs. We work to accelerate the transition to resourceefficient and sustainable economies. A healthy environment plays a key role in meeting many of the 17 sustainable development goals. In a green economy, growth in employment and income are driven by public and private investment into such economic activities, infrastructure and assets that allow reduced carbon emissions and pollution, enhanced energy and resource efficiency, and prevention of the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. The report is compiled by uneps green economy initiative in collaboration with economists and experts worldwide. Unep, word bank, global green growth institute, as well. Disclaimer this publication has been produced with the support of page funding partners. The examples below illustrate just two perspectives on the green economy. Annual progress report a guidance manual for green economy. United nations environment programme unep unep coordinates united nations environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices. The green economy and social and environmental entrepreneurship development in africa project funded by the european union. A guidebook to the green economy sustainable development.
Another more elaborate definition of green economy is. It is also responsible for much of the science on which a sustainable future will be built. Unep s definition of a green economy is the most widely used and authenticated one. Green economy assessment report kenya green growth. However, green economy is still a novel concept and refers to a mix of existing and emerging sectors, topics, principles and concepts. Green economy concepts and overview of green economy methods.
A green economy is one that results in improved human wellbeing and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and. If current trends continue, the global per capita use of natural resources will increase by 70 per cent by 2050. Uneps green economy initiative gei aims to assist governments in greening their economies by reshaping and refocusing policies, investments and spending towards a range of sectors, such as clean technologies, renewable energies, water services, green transportation, waste management. It also included a concise guide to approximately 90 recent green economy publications including reports, policy papers, toolkits and national strategies. The idea of a green economy had its origins in the report blueprint for a green economy prepared by pearce, markandya and barbier 1989 for the uk department of the environment. He was part of the team that conceptualized and launched the unep green economy initiative. Kenya has one of the most dynamic economies in africa, yet it is facing a number of pressing economic, environmental and social challenges. Fairness implies recognizing global and country level equity dimensions, particularly in assuring a just transition to an economy that is lowcarbon, resource efficient, and socially inclusive. There is no single model of the green economy, but multiple forms of locally specific greeneconomy activity. Ilo, ioe and ituc and the international institute for. It is closely related with ecological economics, but has a more politically applied focus. It demonstrates that the greening of economies is not generally a drag on growth but rather a new engine of growth.
It is concluded that coexistence of the trio green economy green growth sustainable development is reasonable due to the complementary and synergistic nature of correlations between these concepts. Unep defined a green economy as an economy that results in improved human wellbeing and social equity, while. Local governments and cities that measure their resource profile 8 countries 26 countries 14 cities supported by unep in building capacity and analytical support. Disclaimer the designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the united nations environment programme concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of.
This exploratory report on the green economy erge was created under the green economy initiative launched by the united nations environment programme unep in 2008. We must decouple economic development from environmental degradation while ensuring that the transition to green economies creates opportunities and promotes wellbeing for all. Information on the origin and meaning of a green economy, and how a green economy can be implemented in south africa, is described. A system of economic activities related to the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services.
In recent years, kenya has adopted several green economy related approaches and policies, which include implementing renewable energy feedin tariffs in 2008, embedding sustainable natural resource utilization into its 2010 constitution and mainstreaming. Realizing national green economies will be a key cornerstone of uneps work over the coming year as countries, companies and communities wrestle with the. Internationally developed assessment methods for a green economy 3. This slide presents uneps definition of green economy. Defining a green economy a green economy can be defined as one that results in improved human wellbeing and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. United nations environment programme and world tourism organization 2012, tourism in the green economy background report, unwto, madrid. Uneps working definition of a green economy a system of economic activities related to the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services that result in improved human well being over the long term, while not exposing future generations to significant environmental risks and.
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