Innovation, particularly technological innovation, is widely touted as a panacea for development. As more and more countries begin to formulate policies that support innovation, they expect to find a magic bullet in the experiences of the advanced and some of the more dynamic less developed economies. But emulating foreign success stories and models is not so easy. Moreover, the developing world is extremely diverse, ranging from giant powerhouse economies to poor fragile states. Nevertheless, this publication presents some useful principles and illustrations that can help inform effective approaches to innovation in the difficult institutional and business climates of low- and medium-income countries.
This paper explores a potential deliverable that emerged from submissions to the Rio+20 compilation document – the development of a green economy knowledge‐sharing platform. The paper provides an overview of existing platforms and initiatives, and proposes potential aims/objectives, governance arrangements, and structural components for a green economy platform based on existing initiatives and best‐ practice literature.
The paper concludes that a comprehensive green economy knowledge‐sharing platform would need clear aims/objectives, an effective governance structure, and a number of key structural components:
• A mechanism for promoting connections, networks and partnerships;
• A brokering mechanism to match ‘knowledge seekers’ with ‘knowledge providers’;
• An online data platform and green economy toolbox;
• Expert focal points or hubs for sectoral or cross‐sectoral issues; and
• A financing facility for developing countries.
This report constitutes the findings of a study on the potential of market pull instruments for promoting innovation in environmental characteristics. The study was conducted by COWI A/S in collaboration with Ecotec Ltd.
The study aims at providing an insight into and an enhanced understanding of the extent to which demand pull instruments promote innovation and to investigate the assumption that greater demand lead to greater innovation.
The study builds on the outcome of an extensive literature review; nearly 40 interviews conducted with industry representatives across a total of six industrial sectors, including business associations; researchers; and a workshop.
This report was commissioned by UNEP in response to the multiple global crises of 2008 – fuel, food and financial. The report proposes a mix of policy actions that would stimulate economic recovery and at the same time improve the sustainability of the world economy. The Global Green New Deal (GGND) calls on governments to allocate a significant share of stimulus funding to green sectors and sets out three objectives: (i) economic recovery; (ii) poverty eradication; and (iii) reduced carbon emissions and ecosystem degradation; and proposed a framework for green stimulus programs as well as supportive domestic and international policies.
National actions proposed for the GGND include:
Launched at Global Roundtable on 19-20 October 2011 in Washington DC, the UNEP FI Guide to Banking and Sustainability provides a clause-by-clause explanation of the UNEP Statement of Commitment by Financial Institutions on Sustainable Development, seeking both to shed further light on the meaning of individual clauses, and to provide guidance on how banking institutions might seek to apply them in their day-to-day operations. The Guide further provides illustrations of current practice within UNEP FI Signatory banks, and references to key resources.
The tool results from consultations with a variety of UNEP FI members from the banking sector, who have identified a range of uses to the Guide, from Board level to operations: