The objective of this study is to identify the key opportunities for green growth in Egypt, discuss the framework conditions necessary for achieving them, and make policy recommendations. Green growth opportunities are defined as those which achieve the triple goals of (i) economic growth, (ii) social inclusivity, and (iii) environmental sustainability or improvement. The social dimension is addressed by prioritising these opportunities in terms of their potential to generate jobs, thus allowing the benefits of these new opportunities to be shared in a socially inclusive manner.
Poverty reduction and economic growth can be sustained only if natural resources are managed on a sustainable basis. Greening rural development can stimulate rural economies, create jobs, help maintain critical ecosystem services and strengthen climate resilience of the rural poor. In the context of this report, greening rural development refers to five broad green outcomes: improved natural resource conservation; increased efficiency of resource use; reduced negative environmental impacts; strengthened climate resilience of communities; and contribution to climate change mitigation. According to the report, these outcomes can be delivered by rural development schemes by a) investing in regenerating natural resources, b) mobilising and developing the capacities of community institutions to utilise natural resources in a sustainable manner, and c) aggregating ‘small initiatives’ in several locations to improve natural capital on a macro-scale.
This summary was prepared by Eldis.
The green growth concept has both strategic and analytical merit. It has strategic merit by turning a negative debate about a costly constraint (on emissions) into a narrative about potentially attractive opportunities. Authors like Barrett believe that this might change the dynamics of the international negotiations.
Analytically, green growth applies a new, richer and more diverse set of economic tools to a burning issue. This has implications on policy design. The ‘green growth’ narrative reinforces, rather than diminishes, the need for collective action. The economic opportunities that green growth may bring do depend on a joint understanding by a sufficiently large number of players that this is the way to go. This makes green growth a classic collective action problem.
Green economy and green growth can best be pursued by using a multi-disciplinary approach, mobilising know-how and best practices from various fields. To this end, GIZ has established an Exchange Platform on Green Economy and Green Growth. It facilitates learning about the green economy, further develops services for our partners and commissioning parties and promotes good practices across our programmes.
The platform draws on the long-standing expertise of GIZ’s Sectoral Department, which offers services and concepts that contribute to the development of a green economy, in particular in the areas of:
- Economic development and employment
- Good governance and human rights
- Water, energy and transport
- Rural development and agriculture
- Environment and climate change
Are poverty alleviation and environmental sustainability conflicting objectives? Or do the two goals support each other? Both are traditional domains of policy-makers aiming to promote green growth and pro-poor or inclusive growth. But in recent years, market based approaches that harness the capabilities of private-sector players have gained credibility and attracted increasing attention. In the process, traditional roles have been blurred. Today, solutions to tackle poverty alleviation and environmental sustainability are being implemented by a wide array of actors.
Strategies to alleviate poverty and achieve environmental sustainability are often highly interlinked and definitions by both policy and business actors of one strategy will often cross-reference the other. UNESCAP’s definition of green growth, for example, refers to ‘socially inclusive development,’ while the Millennium Development Goals include ‘Ensure Environmental Sustainability’ as one of their eight goals. On the business level, definitions of inclusive business strategies state that their objective is to include the poor as ‘participants in low-carbon and climate-resilient growth.’
A green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication (hereafter green economy) requires major structural and technological changes in key sectors such as infrastructure, industry, agriculture and transportation. Near-term investments in all these sectors must be financed for long-term sustainable development. This Issues Brief provides a picture of current and required financial flows for the transition with a focus on identifying major gaps in finance. The Brief outlines proposals for finance including those from the Rio + 20 Compilation text and where possible attempts to convey their feasibility and potential. It suggests that the transition will require the identification of new sources, the streamlining of existing channels and the effective design and utilisation of instruments to leverage private investment.
Green Jobs have become an emblem of a more sustainable economy and society that preserves the environment for present and future generations and is more equitable and inclusive of all people and all countries. Construction has been recognized as a significant contributor to climate change through its emission of global warming gases (GWG). Construction of new buildings and refurbishment of existing buildings alike also represent the largest potential for technically feasible and economically viable reductions of emissions and of energy consumption, while encouraging the development of new professional skills and generation of significant employment opportunities.
South Africa was the first country studied by the ILO in specific regard to Green Jobs in Construction and the present document is an edited version of the research report.
This paper describes how International Labour Standards could be made more relevant to climate change in terms of its impact on employment and the labour market. It addresses the transition to a low carbon economy through a framework of policy coherence and good governance using International Labour Standards as guidelines for supporting not only the social dimension of sustainable development, but the economic and environmental ones as well.
The 21st century faces two defining challenges: the first is to avert dangerous climate change and a deterioration of natural resources which would seriously jeopardize the quality of life of present and future generations. The second is to deliver social development and decent work for all. Green jobs and the promotion of the green economy have become the key drivers for achieving an economic and social development that is also environmentally sustainable.
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?