Developing countries are faced with the dual challenge of reducing poverty while improving management of natural capital and mitigating the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) and local pollutants. The challenge is particularly acute for large, rapidly growing economies, such as India, China and Brazil. In 2007 the Energy Sector Management Program (ESMAP) and the World Bank began to provide support to countries to develop long-term frameworks for reducing GHG emissions in a way that is compatible with economic growth objectives. This report presents lessons learned from seven country studies. These include: countries must take the leading role; adopt a flexible approach and build a multi-disciplinary team; stakeholder engagement and consensus building is essential; allow sufficient time and resources; and invest in data and tools. The report is intended as a practical guide for government officials, practitioners and development agencies involved in low carbon development planning.
This summary was prepared by Eldis.
“Green growth” is an attractive slogan with a variety of possible meanings. This essay critically examines several potential meanings of this slogan and provides a brief overview of some of the main implications of the other papers in this special issue. Taken together, these papers argue for the importance of careful analysis of energy/environmental policies, particularly ambitious ones claiming to offer huge benefits with little or no cost.
This article appeared in the Energy Economics Supplemental Issue: Green Perspectives.
Iowa continues to be a largely rural state dominated by agriculture and associated industries, and is the largest producer of corn in the US.
Maine and Vermont have high energy costs and no fossil fuel resources, which have led to the early development of renewable energy, including hydroelectric energy generation.
Oregon covers a vast territory that is well endowed with natural resources, supporting early specialisation in the energy sector. This case study has a specific focus on Wallowa County, which is a predominantly rural region at the eastern edge of the state.
Tennessee’s rivers have helped make it one of the top hydroelectric power producers east of the Rocky Mountains, with many hydroelectric power plants located along the Cumberland and Tennessee River systems. It is also a major nuclear power producer.