Water for All: A Matter of Good Governance - The OECD Perspective

In his remarks at the 13th World Water Congress, Mr. Gurría underlined that managing and securing access to water and sanitation for all is one of the world’s biggest challenges and needs a global response.

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Policy Brief: Business, Eco-innovation and Globalisation

This Policy Brief looks at how eco-innovation can help meet environmental challenges such as climate change in the context of the globalised economy, building on OECD work on environmental policies and on science, technology and innovation policies.

Environmental Policy, Technological Change and Patent Activity

Technological innovation can allow for the realisation of environmental objectives in a manner which is less costly than would otherwise be the case. As such, understanding the role that technological innovation can play in achieving environmental obj

Water: an Under-Delivered Promise

In his speech delivered at the Conference of Montreal, Angel Gurría underlined that growing pressures from agriculture, energy production and industries were imperilling our water resources. He affirmed that all countries - OECD and developing countries alike – need to introduce urgently policy reforms and scale-up best practices to avoid dire consequences.

Resource productivity and the "3Rs"

In his speech delivered at the G8 Environment Ministers Meeting 2008, Angel Gurría discussed how promoting resource productivity and the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) can protect the environment while sustaining growth and prosperity.

Environmental innovation and global markets

This report examines the links between environmental innovation and globalisation, drawing upon interviews with representatives from both governments and companies. The report and its case studies focus on innovation in the fields of energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Seminar on “Sustainable Development and Climate Change: International and National Perspectives”

In this seminar organised by the Norwegian government, Mr. Gurría reminded that achieving ambitious climate stabilisation goals is possible provided all major emitting countries and sectors act immediately. He underlined that this will require significant changes in how we consume and how we produce but doing nothing is not an option, because the costs and consequences are a multiple of the known costs of action.

Launch of the 2008 OECD Environmental Outlook

At the worldwide launch of this report in Oslo, hosted by Norway's Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, OECD Secretary-General reminded that solutions to the key environmental challenges are available, achievable and affordable, especially when compared to the expected economic growth and the costs and consequences of inaction.

Eco-innovation, policy and globalisation: Making a world of difference - OECD Observer No. 264/265, December 2007

Many governments now see technological innovation as a key channel to help them achieve a wide range of environmental objectives. Analysing patent data can give an accurate measure of innovations that reduce adverse environmental impacts.

Innovation, globalisation and the environment (OECD Observer, No. 261, May 2007)

Globalisation is exerting pressure on the environment, but it may also provide solutions. Could green be turned to gold? This article, written by Brendan Gillespie and Xavier LeFlaive of the OECD Environment Directorate, was featured in the OECD Observer, No. 261, May 2007.