- English
FINAL MESSAGE FOR DISTRIBUTION
First ever global assessment of best practices in green growth reveals pathways for success
DUBAI – March 4, 2014 – The Green Growth Best Practice (GGBP) initiative released a synthesis of key findings from its review of green growth approaches taken in different countries and regions around the world. This summary report, unveiled at the 1st Global Conference on Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) today in Dubai, comes in advance of the release of the full report, which is to be launched in June 2014.
Green growth strategies play vital roles in unlocking synergies between economic growth, environmental protection, and poverty reduction and enabling a transition to an inclusive green economy. By analyzing around 60 specific government programs from around the world, the GGBP demonstrates that green growth is actively practiced around the world as a dynamic pathway to achieve a green economy and sustainable development. The recommendations for effective green growth approaches, based on the experience of early movers, provides practical guidance for national and sub-national policy planning towards the sustainable development goals in the post-2015 development agenda.
“The latest climate science [from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] confirms that humankind is contributing to climate change and has the power to limit its damage,”
said Sam Bickersteth, Chief Executive of the Climate and Development Knowledge Network.
“Green growth, which limits manmade climate change and builds climate resilience, as well as driving economic development and poverty reduction, is a necessity not a choice. And there are synergies and trade-offs to be negotiated through careful planning, consultation and consensus building. The GGBP’s report, released initially in summary, provides inspiring examples of green growth leadership around the world to motivate others and help create irresistible momentum towards more sustainable economies.”
In pursuing a green growth strategy, the GGBP highlights the importance of an integrated approach that links a well-coordinated process for policy planning and implementation, robust analysis of benefits, opportunities, risks and options, and monitoring and evaluation into an iterative and reinforcing cycle.
Another key element is to recognize that green growth strategies lead to a transformative change that requires dynamic shifts from the status quo. Policy and financing decisions should be designed to enable green growth by capturing strategic opportunities for green technologies and green jobs, reducing investment risks, diminishing vulnerability of the poor to natural disasters and resource scarcity, and fostering efficient ways of consuming and managing natural resources are adopted.
The Synthesis of Key Findings elaborates on nine key actions that enable effective green growth policy:
• Use well-designed planning and coordination processes
• Establish clear visions, targets, and baselines
• Undertake robust analysis and balanced communication of the benefits of green growth
• Prioritize options and develop credible pathways toward targets
• Design policies to address multiple goals and respond to specific market failures
• Design public finance instruments to overcome barriers and mobilize private investment
• Tap the power of public-private collaboration
• Pursue mutually reinforcing action across all levels of government
• Build and maintain strong monitoring and evaluation systems
The session at the PAGE Conference today featured authors of the report who shared their findings on best practices and lessons across multiple topics. The session was kicked off with remarks by Howard Bamsey, Director-General of the Global Green Growth Institute and was moderated by Bert Metz, Chair of the GGBP Steering Committee.
“Although still a new field of development, green growth has rapidly grown in prominence and practice over the past few years. The GGBP initiative provides a robust global analysis of good practices that can guide policymakers on which green growth approaches are most effective in different contexts and accelerate the transition to inclusive green economies.”
--- Howard Bamsey, Director-General, Global Green Growth Institute
The final report available in June 2014 will represent the culmination of more than a year of work by 75 authors in the field of green growth. The report and supporting case studies will also be available in the form of an online “living handbook,” which will feature an interactive interface.
Read the Synthesis of Key Findings here: http://ggbp.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/GGBP-Synthesis-of-Key-Findin…
Remarks:
Three IGES researchers joined the GGBP initative as contributing authors for three different chapters.
- English