Introduction to
Principles of
Green Economic
Growth
By: Jamal ud Qureshi
Lecturer DES
EMS 362, Week 09
Green economic
growth
The concept of green growth Green growth is a
paradigm in which green policies, innovation, and
investments drive sustainable economic
development.
There is growing evidence that countries at all levels
of development have been designing and
implementing nationally tailored policies and
programs for green economy and/or green growth. A
growing number of countries are also experimenting
with a more comprehensive framing of their national
sustainable development strategies and policies
along green economy lines, including low carbon
green growth or development strategies.
Green Economy
In the industrial world, it is defined as resources efficient,
technology driven activity that increases investments and growth
while substantially reducing carbon footprints; thus fast and clean
mass transport systems and motor fuel hybridization; cradle-to-
cradle production and consumption patterns; advanced waste
management on the 3Rs pattern; controls on chemicals use and
management; careful mining practices and action plans to make
these investments and activities sustainable, characterize one type
of green economy. Practically, it can be thought of as an economy
whose growth in income and employment is driven by public and
private investments that reduce carbon emissions and pollution,
enhance energy and resource efficiency, and prevent the loss of
biodiversity and ecosystem services. This is achieved through
targeted public expenditure, policy reforms and regulation changes.
The concept of green economy emphasizes on the intersection
between environment and economy.
Green economy
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Green-Economy is essentially an inclusive concept comprising
economic, social and the environmental pillars of growth. It’s
goal is shared prosperity with societal resilience against future
shocks and surprises.
It aims at:
Well-being; measured not merely on the Happiness Index
but in the context of pursuing and achieving the
development goals.
It promotes :
Equity; for diversified sustainable development.
It provides :
A win-win economic-environmental model; Projects and
programmes are co-beneficial, bringing in revenues from
both environmental and economic investments.
Means to achieve green
economy
Checking urban sprawl and implementing
land-use regulations to promote re-
development of city areas over green field
sites.
Checking and regulating population density for
a city-wide sustainability programme.
Providing improved planning powers and
resources (human and material) to the
development corporations.
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Strict vehicle and traffic laws.
Maximum parking standards.
Discouraging use of private motor vehicles.
Encouraging concepts like car pooling, etc.
Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system, cable car
system, etc.
Urban patterns for Sustainable
Development:
Cities play a crucial role in creation of green
economy by bringing about fair and healthy
economic competitiveness, by being strategic
in spatial planning and planning around
landscape ecologies.
Carbon emissions along the urban population
increases resulting in climate change.
The cost of renewable energy resources has
decreased and that of the conventional non
renewable resources has increased.
Ways to implement green
economy in cities:
Large green patches and more sustainable
Development
Promotion of compact cities (show minimal
wastage of space) and planned extension of
cities (curtailing urban sprawl)
Balancing facilities with diverse local
economic opportunities
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Development of network infrastructure like the
development of BRT system
Building greener environment that use water
and energy efficiently
Protection of valuable ecosystems and
biodiversity hotspots
Industries must be inspired to convert to green
industries.
Approaches for low-carbon
green city
The master plan should have the principles of green
design in the city's expansion.
A green transportation system should be established
that encourages public transport, pedestrian and
bicycle routes, electric and bio fuel powered vehicles
and a regular check on the age and emission quantity
of the vehicles running on
the roads.
Coal should be replaced by other renewable energy
sources as it is prone to exhaustion and yet used most
widely for powering the various industries.
Key potential short and long
term benefits of green growth
•Sustaining and enhancing the country’s natural assets through
recognizing and valuing the ecosystem services provided;
•Reducing poverty through well designed green growth policies
that distributes fairly the proceeds of growth;
•Harnessing new growth opportunities and employment through
investment in technological innovation;
•Investing in resilient infrastructure that shift the country away
from fossil fuel dependency and emission intensive pathways;
•Reducing vulnerability to climate change and natural hazards;
•Transition to low carbon development and a reduced ecological
footprint of economic
