This policy brief is the last in a series of six briefs, drawn from Achieving Sustainable Development in Africa through Inclusive Green Growth, a joint publication of the Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and the United Nations Development Programme on the theme of "achieving sustainable development in Africa through inclusive green growth". Specifically, this policy brief looks at the potential to leverage trade in achieving green growth as trade plays an important role in the world economy and can spur economic gorwth on teh African continent. It recognised that while extractives, particularly fossil fuels, raw ores and metals, dominate Africa’s exports to the rest of the world, African countries can achieve inclusive green growth within a highly globalized and competitiven world market by harnessing their abundant natural resources, which also provide a broad range of benefits across the various sectors of society.
This policy brief looks at the features of structural transformation and its desired outcomes in relation to an inclusive green economy, as well as the transmission mechanisms that could reinforce expected contributions and ensure the sustainability of the transformation. It takes a closer look at the macroeconomic policy landscape of the African continent and provides implementation experiences and summarises good practices on inclusive green economy policies.
The French version of the policy brief is available here.
This policy brief outlines the role and significance of various enablers that could facilitate a smooth transition to green economy in Africa, taking into account the implications for the region and highlights key messages that could inform the application of enabling measures in Africa for optimal policy impacts. It concludes that the transition to a green economy will not happen automatically; and creating certain ‘enabling’ conditions will provide incentives for various stakeholders, including public and private actors, to invest in, and contribute to building an inclusive green economy.
The French version of the policy brief can be found here.
Overreliance on investment in the so-called ‘brown economy’ between the late 20th and early 21st centuries led to a state of financial imbalance and was a contributing factor in the global financial crises of 2008. An alternative economic paradigm, centred on a ‘greening’ of the economy, provides greater focus on investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency, public transportation, sustainable agriculture, ecosystem and biodiversity protection, and land and water conservation. These ‘green economies’ are also likely to be more resilient and socially inclusive, particularly in the face of environmental pressures, such as climate change.
While initial steps have been taken to diversify the energy mix in North Africa, large-scale deployment of renewable energy technologies and a transformation of the energy sector are lagging behind. This chapter argues that a systemic approach is essential for scaling up renewables, as piecemeal measures are not likely to capture the full range of expected outcomes. Systematic learning should be at the core of policy-making with a view to capturing long-term benefits, as well as an effort to coordinate across development agendas and foster alliances between stakeholders with diverse interests in the energy sector and beyond. Ultimately, a new narrative that discredits the “old” energy regime and sheds light on the cobenefits of pursuing an integrated approach to green growth and energy sector transformation is needed.
This assessment, Global Environment Outlook 6: Regional assessment for Africa , is founded on the understanding that Africa has the potential to significantly contribute to the world economy and to ensure healthy living conditions for its citizens. It also recognizes the abundant natural assets that the region possesses, and the various threats they face.