17 December 2010
UNEP Publication Outlines Green Economy Successes in Developing Countries
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The report indicates that a green economy is characterized by substantially increased investments in renewable energy, low-carbon transport, energy efficient buildings, clean technologies, improved waste management, improved freshwater provision, and sustainable agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

December 2010: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has released a publication titled “Green Economy Successes in Developing Countries,” which includes eight examples of transitioning towards a green economy, drawn from developing countries.

The report is part of the UNEP-led Green Economy Initiative, launched in late 2008. The Initiative assesses how various sectors, such as renewable energies, clean and efficient technologies, water services, and sustainable agriculture, can contribute to economic growth, creation of decent jobs, social equity, and poverty reduction while addressing climate and other ecological challenges.

The report provides economic analysis on the experiences of: renewable energy in China; feed-in tariffs in Kenya; organic agriculture in Uganda; sustainable urban planning in Brazil; rural ecological infrastructure in India; forest management in Nepal; ecosystem services in Ecuador; and solar energy in Tunisia. The report concludes that green economy strategy is not limited to national or other policy levels, but can take root wherever there is leadership and vision to make this transformation.

The 15-page publication defines a green economy as one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. According to the report, a green economy is characterized by substantially increased investments in renewable energy, low-carbon transport, energy-efficient buildings, clean technologies, improved waste management, improved freshwater provision, and sustainable agriculture, forestry and fisheries. These investments are driven by, or supported by, national policy reforms and the development of international policy and market infrastructure. [Publication: Green Economy: Developing Country Success Stories]

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