Developing countries fear negative effects of green economy
With the UN conference on sustainable development (UNCSD) approaching, discussions on how to make economies more environmentally friendly and sustainable are advancing. The world community’s acknowledgement of the need to rethink the current economic model and to move towards a ‘green economy’ has fuelled concerns among developing countries, fearing that the concept of green economy could negatively affect their economic development.
The concerns of developing countries that a misuse of the concept of green economy my lead to more inequalities between rich and poor countries, inhibiting the development of the latter, are discussed in a recently published expert report. The joint study, addressing the benefits, challenges and risk of the transition to a green economy, was prepared by a panel of experts at the request of the first session of the Preparatory Committee for the UNCSD.
According to Martin Khor, executive director of the intergovernmental organisation of developing countries South Centre, there are various risks that could arise from misusing the green economy concept. In its contribution to the report, Khor emphasises the need to fully take into account the concept’s development and equality dimensions, as to avoid the dominance of environmental aspects superseding sustainable development aspects.
Moreover, the international community should take a country’s stage of development into account and impose more lenient obligations on developing countries, with regards to their transition to a more environmentally friendly and sustainable economy, Khor notes.
Read the full report here: UNSCD - Rio+20 (pdf).
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