Inclusive Green Growth: The Pathway to Sustainable DevelopmentAs the global population heads toward 9 billion by 2050, decisions made today will lock countries into growth patterns that may or may not be sustainable in the future. Care must be taken to ensure that cities and roads, factories and farms are designed, managed, and regulated as efficiently as possible to wisely use natural resources while supporting the robust growth developing countries still need. Economic development during the next two decades cannot mirror the previous two: poverty reduction remains urgent but growth and equity can be pursued without relying on policies and practices that foul the air, water, and land. Inclusive Green Growth: The Pathway to Sustainable Development makes the case that greening growth is necessary, efficient, and affordable. Yet spurring growth without ensuring equity will thwart efforts to reduce poverty and improve access to health, education, and infrastructure services. Countries must make strategic investments and farsighted policy changes that acknowledge natural resource constraints and enable the world's poorest and most vulnerable to benefit from efficient, clean, and resilient growth. Like other forms of capital, natural assets are limited and require accounting, investment, and maintenance in order to be properly harnessed and deployed. By maximizing co-benefits and avoiding lock-in, by promoting smarter decisions in industry and society, and by developing innovative financing tools for green investment, we can afford to do the things we must. |
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Africa agriculture analysis Assessment behavior benefits billion biodiversity biofuels carbon China Climate Change Climate Policy costs create defined developing countries difficult economic growth ecosystem services effects efficiency electricity Emission Trading emissions employment environment environmental policies environmental regulations figure financial financing firms fiscal fish fisheries flood forests fuel global green growth policies green growth strategy green industrial green innovation green jobs green policies green technologies greenhouse gas Hallegatte households impacts implemented improve incentives income increase industrial policies influence infrastructure investments labor market land market failures ment mitigation natural capital nomic OECD percent political economy pollution Porter hypothesis potential production programs projects reduce reflect reform renewable energy requires Research resilience resource curse risk ronmental RSCD sector significant social soil solar Source specific subsidies target tion trade transport uncertainty UNEP urban Washington World Bank