Geen economies: UNEP praises efforts to shift to green economies

Nairobi, Kenya – Poor countries across the world are engaging with the rich countries to reduce emissions from forests and fast track transitions to a low carbon, resource efficient Green Economy, the UN Environmental Programme (UNEPP) said Thursday. The multiple benefits of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD ) were discussed at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP17) in Durban, South Africa.

“In the same way that the Green Economy promotes sustainable, low carbon and resource-efficient economic growth, REDD also explicitly addresses the need for a balance between income growth, jobs and social equity,” UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said.

“With just over six months until the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio 20) in Brazil, countries ranging from Indonesia to Brazil and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are recognizing that REDD investments can offer myriad opportunities to boost green development,’ Steiner said.

He said utilising the investments and enhancing ecosystem services, tackling climate change, improving water security and promoting green jobs is important.

‘Mobilizing more partnerships such as that between Norway and Indonesia, or private sector funding is vital if the full potential of forests to contribute to a Green Economy is to be realized,” Steiner said.

“A green economy transition is worth pursuing, not only because it is the best way forward but also for what it does to bring millions of people out of poverty, while conserving their ecosystems, improving their lives and enhancing their livelihood opportunities,” said Dr. Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, Head of the Indonesian President’s Delivery Unit for Development Monitoring and Oversight.

Original article published at www.uncsd2012.org

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