Green economy policies, if properly designed, deliver social and economic benefits by improving resource efficiency and inducing domestic companies to innovate, which may provide them with a competitive edge – first mover advantage – vis-à-vis their competitors.
Despite the severity of the current financial and economic crisis, it cannot be allowed to distract us from addressing critical and strategic climate change and energy challenges. The energy sector produces 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions and so it must also be a key part of any strategy to reduce them.
This paper describes the most promising low-carbon technologies, their current status and the policy framework that will be necessary to achieve their widespread deployment. It also highlights what immediate steps can be taken as part of a Clean Energy New Deal.
In this report, the WBCSD puts forward six key elements to enhance investments and sales of low-carbon technologies in developing countries. These range from government signals to foster low-carbon solutions to engaging business more actively into the international and national climate change process.
The diffusion of low-carbon technologies to developing countries is necessary to achieving a 450 parts per million (ppm) atmospheric CO2 target and keeping an increase of global temperature below 2ºC.
As key providers of technology and innovation, companies can support these targets but the transition to a low-carbon growth will be facilitated if governments set up frameworks that are conducive to investment in the first place.
Specifically, the six elements to enhancing investments and sales of low-carbon technologies are: