3 March 2011
UNCTAD’s “Road to Rio+20” Discusses Low-Carbon Growth
story highlights

The UN Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has released the first issue of a series of publications titled "The Road to Rio+20," which discusses the role of low-carbon growth and climate financing for the transition towards a green economy, with a focus on Morocco.

2 March 2011: The UN Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has released the first of a series of publications aimed at provoking discussion, advancing new ideas and providing inspiration on sustainable development issues for the Rio 2012 Conference.

This collection of essays discusses conceptual foundations and commentaries on the green economy, as well as critical issues in managing the transition towards a green economy, complemented with insights from Morocco’s experience in integrating environmental issues into national strategies.

The study is divided into four parts. Part one addresses the global context of Rio 2012 with essays on environmental crises, failed growth and the steady-state economy, and the Rio Agenda. Part two assesses possible downsides of a green economy for trade, investment and competitiveness and the relationship between green economy and sustainable development. Part three looks at various aspects of managing the transition towards a green economy, such as: peak oil and the necessary transition to regenerative agriculture; trade, finance and the green economy; and making climate change finance work for human development. Part four comprises a number of essays on the experience in the transition towards a green economy in Morocco.

Several articles address the role of climate-change related policies for the green economy. The essay on trade finance and the green economy discusses measures for achieving a low-carbon economy such as carbon finance, inducing the development and transfer of low-carbon technology and establishing effective mechanisms for carbon pricing and functioning carbon markets. Another essay argues that the climate change financial regime should enable: the design of adaptation and mitigation measures that match developing country and vulnerable community needs through bottom-up policy making; and technology transfer and capacity building, to ensure that developing countries can absorb climate financing while focusing on their development strategies. [Publication: The Road to Rio+20]

related posts