In less than a decade, clean energy transitioned from novelty products to the mainstream of world energy markets. The sector emerged not so much in a linear fashion as episodic – in fits and starts associated with the worldwide economic downturn, continent-wide debt crises, national policy uncertainty, and intense industry competition. Through it all, however, the clean energy sector moved inexorably forward, with overall investment in 2012 five times greater than it was in 2004.
Although 2012 investment levels worldwide declined 11 per cent, to US$ 269 billion, the clean energy sector weathered the withdrawal of priority incentives and initiatives offered by governments in numerous key markets, demonstrating its resilience. Reliable clean energy investment data have been collected for nine years now. Looking at the data in three-year increments, average clean energy investment increased by at least US$ 90 billion triennially – from an average of US$ 64 billion in the 2004-06 period to an average of US$ 156 billion in 2007-09 and US$ 245 billion in 2010-12.
The transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient Europe is a key objective of the EU as set out in the Europe 2020 Strategy, related Roadmaps and other strategic documents. Some EU Member States have already started to take steps towards this transition with the adoption of supporting political decisions and implementation of related instruments. These efforts are welcome and should be further encouraged. However, there are also contradictory decisions being taken or delays that hinder or slow down progress. Overall, despite some positive steps in a number of policy areas, further efforts are needed to create stronger momentum towards a low-carbon, resource-efficient Europe. Consideration of resource efficiency related issues (including resource productivity, municipal waste management, environmental taxation, reform of environmentally harmful subsidies, water and air quality) within the European Semester process should also be strengthened.
This report sets out WWF's perspectives on green economies – why they are needed, what they are, and how to get there – and shows how WWF is working around the world to make the shift to green economies happen. This report also suggests some priority actions that governments in the UK should take to foster the conditions for sustainable innovations to flourish in businesses and communities.
This paper provides an overview of existing measures relating to non-product-related processes and production methods (PPMs) adopted in the context of climate-change-mitigation policies, especially those linked to the life-cycle greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions of particular products. Such domestic PPM-related requirements and schemes are important policy tools for promoting sustainable development and are aimed at addressing GHG emissions resulting from the activities involved in producing, processing and transporting the product to the final consumer. Their ostensive purpose is to promote better environmental outcomes and to ensure that domestic climate-change policies and incentives do not inadvertently undermine other environmental objectives. Even though the general objectives of the reviewed regulations and private schemes are comparable (e.g. the promotion of renewable-energy sources, or provision of information on the carbon footprint of goods), the approaches, level of detail, choices of instruments and targeted environmental characteristics vary considerably from country to country and from scheme to scheme.