The 12th Five-Year Plan (FYP) adopted by the Chinese government in March 2011 devotes considerable attention to energy and climate change and establishes a new set of targets and policies for 2011-2015. While some of the targets are largely in line with the status quo, other aspects of the plan represent more dramatic moves to reduce fossil energy consumption, promote low-carbon energy sources, and restructure China’s economy. Among the goals is to “gradually establish a carbon trade market.” Key targets include:
The Overseas Development Institute, working alongside Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit and the International Poverty Reduction Center in China, have been developing a collaborative, research, policy engagement and knowledge transfer exchange programme. The aim is to provide stakeholders with firm evidence of ways to promote effective investment in green growth. This working paper presents the findings of the programme’s scoping study, conducted in India and China, which sought to identify and better understand drivers for green growth.
The paper begins by outlining the tenets of the green growth paradigm, defining the concept of green growth as being both sustainable and inclusive. It then presents the findings of the scoping study and looks at the evolution of green growth thinking. The authors also explore the potential for sharing lessons learnt, both between India and China and with other countries, and set out a proposal for identifying policy and initiative case studies for further analysis and impact assessment.
The scoping study consisted of:
Bamboo, rattan, seagrass and other raw materials used in handicrafts production are an important part of Viet Nam’s natural capital. These are valuable resources that need to be protected, harvested and utilised in a sustainable manner to ensure a vibrant crafts sector now and for future generations. The environmental impacts of crafts production by households and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are often considered negligible given the scale of their operations, yet taking into account their sheer number, use of natural materials and limited capabilities, their production practices should also be appropriately addressed. Piecemeal interventions just at the production cultivation or stages, will only produce equally limited results. A comprehensive and integrated approach is needed to make green and clean-up the entire value chain, starting from raw materials collection, processing, crafts production and transportation, right up to final markets. Coordinated interventions to make green five value chains were supported in Viet Nam, respectively in the: bamboo and rattan, seagrass, sericulture and silk, lacquerware and handmade paper sectors.
India is expected to grow at such a rapid rate over the next two decades that it could build approximately 80 per cent of the physical assets—including infrastructure, commercial and residential real estate, vehicle stock, and industrial capacity—that will constitute the India of 2030.
Growth of this magnitude will bring tremendous benefits, but it also poses many challenges, particularly regarding sustainability. Demand for resources will increase dramatically, for example, raising the country’s dependence on imports for commodities such as crude oil and driving commodity prices higher in general. And India will need to expand its capacity to generate electricity to meet increasing industrial and residential demand, which will impel a corresponding increase in greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions.
Renewable energy markets, industries, and policy frameworks have evolved rapidly in recent years. This report provides a comprehensive and timely overview of renewable energy market, industry, investment, and policy developments worldwide. It relies on the most recent data available, provided by a network of more than 500 contributors and researchers from around the world, all of which is brought together by a multi-disciplinary authoring team. The report covers recent developments, current status, and key trends; by design, it does not provide analysis or forecasts.