This paper, written for the United Nations High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons, seeks to 1) Explain the relationship between the sustainable development, green economy and green growth concepts; 2) Summarize the state of knowledge regarding the feasibility and ultimate potential of green growth; and 3) Recommend how the post-2015 international development cooperation agenda could be structured to maximize the contribution of green growth to sustainable development over the next two crucial decades.
Achieving global goals for poverty reduction, economic growth and environmental health will require widespread innovation and implementation of new and appropriate “green growth” technologies. Establishing a sufficiently large suite of innovative options, suitable to all economies, and at the urgent pace required will involve unprecedented innovation activity not only from developed regions, but also from new clusters and enterprises in emerging economies and least developed countries. Stronger international cooperation can play a critical role in facilitating this transformative process. In this paper, we look at areas for new partnerships or cooperation that could most effectively accelerate a green growth transformation. We do this by reviewing the components of a successful innovation “ecosystem,” assessing the current status and prospects for green growth innovation, compiling and analyzing existing international initiatives, assessing the needs and pragmatic constraints on international institutions, and recommending an integrated approach to spur global green growth innovation partnerships, especially within developing countries.
This knowledge product is part of the work undertaken by the Bank in the context of its new Strategy 2013-2022, whose twin objectives are “inclusive and increasingly green growth”. Following a request from the Sierra Leonean authorities, this document was designed to assist government officials and national stakeholders to consider key challenges and identify major opportunities for mainstreaming inclusive green growth into the 2013–2018 Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, known as the “Agenda for Prosperity”. The document has been prepared in consultation with the Sierra Leonean stakeholders. The main document is structured as follows: Section 1 outlines principles of green growth with relevance to the specific context of Sierra Leone. Section 2 outlines the main development opportunities and challenges of Sierra Leone, structured along the three green growth pillars the country has identified. Section 3 outlines institutional and policy challenges, as well as a possible framework for green growth. Section 4 summarizes development priorities identified in the A4P, and identifies green growth options in the A4P pillars.
This working paper explores some of the drivers and challenges affecting countries’ climate compatible development (CCD) policy processes and their incentives for engaging on this agenda. The paper argues that there is not a straightforward relationship between CCD policies and outcomes such as growth, poverty and equity. There will be winners and losers, and trade-offs among social, economic and environmental goals and between long-term and short-term benefits. This makes the political and institutional dimensions of CCD particularly challenging. According to the paper, understanding and managing the political economy of CCD is essential to promoting and strengthening climate compatible development outcomes and overcoming barriers to implementation. In addition to outlining some of the key drivers and challenges of CCD strategies, the paper provides possible solutions to overcoming the identified barriers.
This summary was prepared by Eldis.
This analytical report and an associated web-based user guide has been prepared in response to the request to help guide decision makers in developing countries to select appropriate tools and methodologies to support climate compatible development. The report, commissioned by the Climate Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) and carried out by Ecofys and IDS, takes a largely user oriented approach, taking account of user experiences and needs. In the in-depth analysis, a total of 30 tools within seven categories were analysed. The analysis produced several headline findings: