Informal and Green? The Forgotten Voice in the Transition to a Green Economy

Authors :
Emily Benson, Sarah Best, Ethel del Pozo-​Vergnes, Ben Garside, Essam Yassin Mohammed, Sjoerd Panhuysen, Grazia Piras, Bill Vorley, Anna Walnycki, Emma Wilson

'Inclusive green growth' is no longer just a buzz term. It is shaping donor priorities, influencing national development plans and attracting investment. Yet inclusive green growth policies commonly promoted by international institutions make little, if any, reference to informal economies - which are expanding in all parts of the world in response to changes in our formal economies - and which cater for the world's poor. What does Green Economy mean in the context of informal markets where the world's poorest and most vulnerable people produce and trade? Does 'greening' necessitate formalisation, or can it happen through people's own actions?