Greening the Global Economy

Greening the Global Economy

Author: Robert Pollin

Publisher: MIT Press

Published: 2015-11-20

Total Pages: 173

ISBN-13: 0262322870

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A program for building a global clean energy economy while expanding job opportunities and economic well-being. In order to control climate change, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that greenhouse gas emissions will need to fall by about forty percent by 2030. Achieving the target goals will be highly challenging. Yet in Greening the Global Economy, economist Robert Pollin shows that they are attainable through steady, large-scale investments—totaling about 1.5 percent of global GDP on an annual basis—in both energy efficiency and clean renewable energy sources. Not only that: Pollin argues that with the right investments, these efforts will expand employment and drive economic growth. Drawing on years of research, Pollin explores all aspects of the problem: how much energy will be needed in a range of industrialized and developing economies; what efficiency targets should be; and what kinds of industrial policy will maximize investment and support private and public partnerships in green growth so that a clean energy transformation can unfold without broad subsidies. All too frequently, inaction on climate change is blamed on its potential harm to the economy. Pollin shows greening the economy is not only possible but necessary: global economic growth depends on it.


Handbook of Green Economics

Handbook of Green Economics

Author: Sevil Acar

Publisher: Academic Press

Published: 2019-08-27

Total Pages: 208

ISBN-13: 0128166355

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Handbook of Green Economics reveals the breadth and depth of advanced research on sustainability and growth, also identifying opportunities for future developments. Through its multidimensional examination, it demonstrates how overarching concepts, such as green growth, low carbon economy, circular economy and others work together. Some chapters reflect on different discourses on the green economy, including pro-growth perspectives and transformative approaches that entail de-growth. Others argue that green policies can spark economic innovation, particularly in developing and emerging market economies. Part literature summary, part analysis and part argument, this book shows how the right conditions can stimulate economic growth while achieving environmental sustainability. This book will be a valuable resource for graduate students and academic researchers whose focus is on the green economy. With an increasing interest in the topic among researchers and policymakers, users will find different theoretical perspectives and explore policy implications in this growing subject area.


Tourism in the Green Economy

Tourism in the Green Economy

Author: Maharaj Vijay Reddy

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2015-06-05

Total Pages: 389

ISBN-13: 1134626452

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The concept of the green economy has now entered mainstream policy debates and been endorsed by a range of United Nations and other organizations. The Rio+20 UN conference specifically drew attention to the green economy approach in the context of sustainable development to move away from business-as-usual practices, act to end poverty, address environmental destruction and build a bridge to the sustainable future. It is increasingly recognized that the tourism sector can make a major contribution to the green economy through more sustainable practices, climate change mitigation and ecotourism. The role of tourism sector will continue to be crucial in the post-2015 sustainable development agenda too. However, there are ambiguities about how tourism and allied industries can maximize their contribution to human well-being and ensure environmentally sustainability, embracing issues of political economy, geography and business ethics. In this context, this book provides consensus about what the green economy entails, what role tourism can play in a green economy, early responses from many countries, on-going and emerging research initiatives that will enable tourism’s transition to a green economy. The chapters address three key themes: understanding the Green Economy concept and the role of tourism; responses and initiatives in greening tourism; and emerging techniques and research implications. A wide range of case studies from around the world and in different contexts is included to demonstrate the extent of the challenge and range of opportunities for the tourism industry.


An Introduction to the Green Economy

An Introduction to the Green Economy

Author: Adrian C. Newton

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2014-08-13

Total Pages: 383

ISBN-13: 1134654456

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The green economy is widely seen as a potential solution to current global economic and environmental crises, and a potential mechanism by which sustainable development might be achieved in practice. Considerable investments are now being made into the development of green technology, renewable energy, biodiversity conservation, resource efficiency, recycling of materials and green infrastructure. This textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to the green economy, using a strongly interdisciplinary approach based on environmental science, rather than treating it as a sub-set of economics. The scientific principles of sustainability are presented, which provide the foundations of the green economy, with a particular focus on systems-based approaches. Examples of real-world case studies are used to illustrate how the green economy can be achieved in practice. In this way, the authors provide a thorough overview of both the principles and practice of the green economy, drawing from a wide range of disciplines including ecology, geography, social science, psychology, sustainability science, environmental science, law and economics. The emphasis is on presenting results of the latest research, derived from leading scientific journals. Rather than focusing on a single definition of what constitutes a ‘green economy’, the book introduces readers to the diversity of opinion that exists, and engages them in what is an active, on-going debate. This reflects the fact that many aspects of the green economy, and sustainable development more generally, are currently contested. In particular, the book will help readers to strengthen their ability to critically evaluate the evidence for and against the views presented, and to actively contribute to the future development of the green economy.


A New Blueprint for a Green Economy

A New Blueprint for a Green Economy

Author: Edward B. Barbier

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013-06-03

Total Pages: 251

ISBN-13: 1136222170

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Published in 1989, Blueprint for a Green Economy presented, for the first time, practical policy measures for 'greening' modern economies and putting them on a path to sustainable development. This new book, written by two of the Blueprint for a Green Economy authors, revisits and updates its main messages by asking, first, what has been achieved in the past twenty years, and second, what more needs to be done to generate a truly 'green economy' in the twenty-first century? Blueprint for a Green Economy had one over-arching theme. Making economies more sustainable requires urgent progress in three key policy areas: valuing the environment, accounting for the environment and incentives for environmental improvement. Today, with the threat of global warming, the decline in major ecosystems and their services, and fears over energy security, achieving these goals is even more vital. The current book first summarizes the main messages from Blueprint for a Green Economy and explains why, given rapid and widespread global environmental degradation, they are still relevant. The book then examines the progress since Blueprint for a Green Economy in implementing policies and other measures to improve environmental valuation, accounting and incentives. Although much has been accomplished, additional advances are still required to green economies successfully. The book highlights the new policies and approaches needed for economic management of today's environmental concerns. Over twenty years later, A New Blueprint for a Green Economy once again emphasizes practical policies for greening modern economies, and explains why such an economic roadmap to a greener future is essential, if modern economies are to develop successfully and sustainably.


Designing the Green Economy

Designing the Green Economy

Author: Brian Milani

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 270

ISBN-13: 9780847691906

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Milani, a teacher and research coordinator for the Eco-Materials Project in Toronto, first describes the economic world of the past and present, the industrial and post-industrial world with which we all have some experience. Then comes the economic outline for the world of the future, a green economy most have only glimpsed or heard tell of. Milani's goal is to integrate human technologies into natural processes and stop humanity's "predatory attitude." By doing so we will move from a quantitative model of wealth to a qualitative model where what becomes paramount is the development of people and communities, and the de-development (self-restoration) of nature. Milani wants to reform human practice with real philosophic, economic, and material solutions so that nature no longer needs human protection against human onslaught. Annotation copyrighted by Book News Inc., Portland, OR


Sustainable Economic Development

Sustainable Economic Development

Author: Walter Leal Filho

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2016-09-27

Total Pages: 326

ISBN-13: 3319450816

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book introduces the influence and impacts of green economy and green growth on sustainable economic development. Combining empirical and theoretical information, it provides detailed descriptions of state-of-the-art approaches, methods and initiatives from around the globe that illustrate green policies and demonstrate how green growth can be implemented on an international scale. It also includes analyses of specific issues, such as public policies and sustainable development plans that influence industry and increase trade in environmental goods and services – the way to a greener economy, green tourism, green agriculture, green learning and green equilibrium in modern society. Matters such as green procurement, environmentally oriented implementation strategies, and the importance of employee skills in the development of a sustainable future workforce are described, as well as a selection of tools that can be used to foster sustainable growth, green economies and green growth. The book also offers a timely contribution to the dissemination of approaches and methods that improve the way we perceive and utilize natural resources and the technologies designed to protect them. Puts forward new ideas for creating a more sustainable future.


The Limits of the Green Economy

The Limits of the Green Economy

Author: Anneleen Kenis

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2015-03-24

Total Pages: 189

ISBN-13: 1317670213

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Projecting win-win situations, new economic opportunities, green growth and innovative partnerships, the green economy discourse has quickly gained centre stage in international environmental governance and policymaking. Its underlying message is attractive and optimistic: if the market can become the tool for tackling climate change and other major ecological crises, the fight against these crises can also be the royal road to solving the problems of the market. But how ‘green’ is the green economy? And how social or democratic can it be? This book examines how the emergence of this new discourse has fundamentally modified the terms of the environmental debate. Interpreting the rise of green economy discourse as an attempt to re-invent capitalism, it unravels the different dimensions of the green economy and its limits: from pricing carbon to emissions trading, from sustainable consumption to technological innovation. The book uses the innovative concept of post-politics to provide a critical perspective on the way green economy discourse represents nature and society (and their interaction) and forecloses the imagination of alternative socio-ecological possibilities. As a way of repoliticising the debate, the book advocates the construction of new political faultlines based on the demands for climate justice and democratic commons. This book will be of interest to students and scholars of environmental politics, political ecology, human geography, human ecology, political theory, philosophy and political economy. Includes a foreword written by Erik Swyngedouw (Professor of Geography, Manchester University).


The Green Economy and the Water-Energy-Food Nexus

The Green Economy and the Water-Energy-Food Nexus

Author: Robert C. Brears

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2017-08-18

Total Pages: 433

ISBN-13: 1137583657

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book argues that a variety of policies will be required to create synergies between the water-energy-food nexus sectors while reducing trade-offs in the development of a green economy. Despite rising demand for water, energy and food globally, the governance of water-energy-food sectors has generally remained separate with limited attention placed on the interactions that exist between them. Brears provides readers with a series of in-depth case studies of leading cities, states, nations and regions of differing climates, lifestyles and income-levels from around the world that have implemented a variety of policy innovations to reduce water-energy-food nexus pressures and achieve green growth. The Green Economy and the Water-Energy-Food Nexus will be of interest to town and regional planners, resource conservation managers, policymakers, international companies and organisations interested in reducing water-energy-food nexus pressures, environmental NGOs, researchers, graduate and undergraduate students.


Biodiversity in the Green Economy

Biodiversity in the Green Economy

Author: Alexandros Gasparatos

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2015-06-05

Total Pages: 431

ISBN-13: 1317934709

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

In the past decade, the growing realization that biodiversity and human wellbeing are inextricably linked has led to the adoption of numerous environmental policies. The concept of the Green Economy has gained particular attention as an economic system where growth is possible within environmental limits. The preservation of ecosystem services and the halt of biodiversity loss are identified as key pillars of the Green Economy. Despite the concept’s momentum there is still no clear understanding of how biodiversity fits within a Green Economy. In the current debate, biodiversity is rarely acknowledged in economic sectors other than agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism, and when it is acknowledged biodiversity and its conservation feature more as buzzwords than as concrete and tangible components of the Green Economy. This book aims to identify, understand and offer pragmatic recommendations of how biodiversity conservation can become an agent of green economic development. This book establishes ways to assess biodiversity’s contributions to the economy and to meaningfully integrate biodiversity concerns in green-economy policies.