What is the Green Economy?

The Green Economy is a democratic long term planning approach to managing the environment, business, government and the world economy. A Green Economy is an inclusive economy, where environmental resources and the wealth generated by them are shared in a more equitable way. An inclusive economy does not exploit the environment for just a few individuals or corporations; but manages it in a sustainable way that benefits society as a whole. The United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) defines a green economy as “one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.”

 The Green Economy is a UNEP led initiative launched in 2008 to raise the visibility of this concept, particularly through a call for a Global Green New Deal (GGND). The GGND recommended a package of public investments and complementary policy and pricing reforms aimed at kick-starting a transition to a green economy while reinvigorating economies and jobs and addressing persistent poverty.

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