Land degradation has not been comprehensively addressed at the global level or in developing countries. A suitable economic framework that could guide investments and institutional action is lacking. This study aims to overcome this deficiency and to provide a framework for a global assessment based on a consideration of the costs of action versus inaction regarding desertification, land degradation, and drought (DLDD). Most of the studies on the costs of land degradation (mainly limited to soil erosion) give cost estimates of less than 1 percent up to about 10 percent of the agricultural gross domestic product (GDP) for various countries worldwide. But the indirect costs of DLDD on the economy (national income), as well as their socioeconomic consequences (particularly poverty impacts), must be accounted for, too. Despite the numerous challenges, a global assessment of the costs of action and inaction against DLDD is possible, urgent, and necessary. This study provides a framework for such a global assessment and provides insights from some related country studies.
Healthy land ecosystems are essential to sustainable development, including food security and improved livelihoods. Yet, their key services have usually been taken for granted and their true value underrated, leading to land degradation becoming a critical global problem. This pattern of undervaluation of lands is about to change in view of the rapidly rising land prices, which is the result of increasing shortage of land and high output prices. Despite the urgent need for preventing and reversing land degradation, the problem has yet to be appropriately addressed. Policy actions for sustainable land management are lacking, and a policy framework for action is missing. Such a framework for policy action needs to be supported by evidence-based and action-oriented research. The Economics of Land Degradation (ELD) initiative seeks to develop such a science basis for policy actions to address land degradation.
The chapter on green growth first seeks to place the concept of green growth within the history of recent discourses of environmental protection. It then distinguishes between a “standard” version of green growth and a “strong” interpretation which seeks to present a much bolder argument to policy-makers. Three different forms of this argument are identified and the evidence for them surveyed. Finally the chapter asks whether the idea of green growth is likely to be “successful”. Will its arguments prove sufficiently convincing, and the interests gathered around it sufficiently strong, to change the priorities of economic policy-making?
How can Africa’s vast natural resources create more wealth for the African people in a more resource-efficient and beneficial manner? What are the pathways to industrial growth which can create greater employment, produce higher outputs with lower inputs, and enhance competitiveness for African economies? How can vulnerabilities created by climate change, desertification and external shocks in the world economy be tempered, if not eliminated? What challenges will African countries face in the transition to a green economy and how could such challenges be overcome? What experiences within and outside Africa offer lessons that could be built upon?
These are questions that this report seeks to address. The report is meant to stimulate further discussion, aiming to contribute to articulating African views and perspectives on the theme of green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in 2012.
There are many questionable assumptions in the discussion of economic growth. One of them is the idea that governments are able to achieve sustained high growth. Another one is the belief that the solution to pressing financial and social problems centres on higher growth. It is also questionable, however, to say that giving up on economic growth as a paradigm is the necessary condition to tackle the environmental crisis. In actuality, solving such problems is about radical growth in environmental and resource-saving technologies. It is also about radical ‘‘de-growth’’ in products and processes that undermine long-term living and production conditions. This paper describes some best practice cases of ‘‘green growth’’ and the conceptual generalisations given by the OECD and other established institutions in Europe and Asia. It traces the transformation of the concept of ‘‘green growth’’ and evaluates the strategy that accompanies it.
The complex inter linkages between trade and climate change governance are increasingly recognised. Examples in point are emissions trading schemes, border carbon measures, and carbon labelling schemes, and various support measures for clean energy—all climate related policies with possible implications for trade and trade law. Against this background, this information note explores the potential for synergy and cooperation between the trade and climate change regimes. This paper will help those working on climate change to better answer questions such as: How can trade measures better address climate change mitigation? Can current climate response measures restrict trade? And how can a strengthened trade and climate governance make them more constructive?
This book offers a global overview of the present status of action on climate change and on the efforts devoted to develop innovative economic tools. Drawing on the most recent data, this collective book analyses the development of carbon markets in Europe and worldwide and assesses the involvement of major sectors such as agriculture, forestry, transport and housing in the fight against global warming.