February 2011: The International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG) has published a one-pager on inclusive and sustainable development, authored by Leisa Perch, Coordinator of the Rural and Sustainable Development Cluster.

The document argues that “greener” or “cleaner” has not always meant more sustainable, and underlines the need for defining what “green” means, particularly in a socially sustainable context. It highlights that: most countries are still struggling to balance social and sustainable development; and structural features at the level of the nation State, such as high inequality in income levels, are shaping climate risk and vulnerability. The author states that, while inclusive and sustainable development requires dedicated funding for multi-focused actions, less than 5% of existing climate finance is targeted to these type of interventions. She further notes that poverty, gender and ethnicity factors are not consistently recognized in the National Adaptation Plans of Action (NAPAs) as influencing vulnerability and adaptive capacity. The brief also underscores that, on mitigation, questions have been raised regarding the consultation of, and participation by, the poor in the benefits derived, as well as on the development effectiveness of some technology transfers.

The IPC-IG is a partnership between the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Brazil. [Publication: Inclusive and Sustainable Development: For Whom?]