Contents

• OECD at Rio+20: Inclusive green growth for the future we want
  
  
• Measuring progress towards green growth: update
  
  
• Focus on green growth and tourism
  
  
• Green growth in action: China
  
  
• Recent events  
  
  
• Recent publications 
  
  
• June/July key events 

The OECD Green Growth Newsletter keeps OECD Committees and other stakeholders informed about the OECD’s green growth activities.

If you have received this newsletter from a colleague, please email greengrowth@oecd.org to receive further issues directly and also to gain access to the International Green Growth Dialogue site. Back issues of the newsletter are also available on the site.

We welcome your comments on this newsletter and the Strategy overall. Please send any feedback to greengrowth@oecd.org

OECD at Rio+20: Inclusive green growth for the future we want

The OECD is committed to supporting countries in reaching positive outcomes at Rio+20, and thereafter to implement emerging agreements.

As well as holding joint side-events, the OECD will be participating in a number of other events throughout Rio+20, including a UNEP meeting on Measuring the Green Economy Contribution to Sustainable Development, the Global Compact Corporate Sustainability Forum, and the UNEP/FAO Sustainable Food Systems Programme.

Download the flyer for the OECD side event on 21 June: Tailoring green growth strategies to country circumstances: practical steps to achieve sustainable development.

Also available: OECD brochure of relevant work:  Inclusive green growth for the future we want, also available in French, Spanish and Chinese on www.oecd.org/rio+20.

Measuring progress towards green growth: update

Green growth indicators database launched

The OECD has recently launched an online database containing selected indicators for monitoring progress towards green growth to support policy making. The dataset covers OECD countries as well as the BRIICS economies (Brazil, Russian Federation, India, Indonesia, China and South Africa), Argentina and Saudi Arabia from 1990 onwards.  

Monitoring Progress towards green growth in Latin America

With the support of OECD, the Latin America Development Bank, the Latin American and the Caribbean Economic System and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), work is underway in Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Paraguay to apply the OECD green growth indicators as a way to identify key areas of national concern and the scope for improving the design, choice and performance of policy instruments.

On 7-8 June, OECD and UNIDO held a workshop on indicators in Paris, organised in collaboration with UNEP. The workshop brought together international experts and officials from the Latin American economic and environment ministries to share experience and provide expert advice on country reports using the OECD green growth indicators.  Read more about green growth indicators.

Focus on green growth and tourism

 The transition towards a greener economy will be a long and challenging process for tourism, as for many other sectors. Tourism, as it interacts with many other industries and services, can contribute significantly to the shift towards more sustainable, cleaner and low-carbon economic growth. Entrepreneurs and policy-makers are increasingly looking at innovation as key to improving environmental performance and achieving sustainable targets. Innovation is also essential to improve existing products and to develop more sustainable tourism products and experiences. An official Rio+20 side event on Green Innovation in Tourism will be held on 19 June. Read more about green growth and tourism.

Green growth in action: China

China is committed to achieving a green economy. The 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-2010) aimed to increase the use of renewable energy sources and environmental investment reached 1.33% of GDP. The 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) aims to reduce energy consumption by 16% and carbon emissions by 17%. To support environmental protection, the Plan calls for environmental tax reform and improving the waste disposal fee system. Investment of around RMB 3.4 trillion will be required to achieve the environmental protection goals. Read more about green growth in China.

  ©iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Recent events

G20 Seminar on green growth

On May 22, during OECD Week, the OECD hosted a seminar for Ministers and delegates from the G20 countries to examine key elements of green growth policies, building upon work in progress on green growth under the Mexican G20 Presidency.

“I […] welcome the leadership shown by the Mexican Presidency in making green growth such a signature priority for the G20. Green growth can help put economic recovery on a more sustainable path, which is a shared concern for all G20 countries.” - Opening remarks by Angel Gurría, OECD Secretary-General

Compact City Policies Launch

On 13 June, the OECD launched the report Compact City Policies: A Comparative Assessment, which provides recommendations for policy makers in OECD member and non member countries which are experiencing rapid urbanization. The launch shared the main findings of the report on compact city policies with the regional policy community as well as experts, to assist in developing policy accommodating the diverse needs of cities in different backgrounds, and to provide insight for future study on compact city policies as a key solution to sustainable urban development.

Mr. Angel Gurria, OECD Secretary-General (speaking) and Mr. José Antonio Meade, Secretary of Finance and Public Credit of Mexico. Photo: OECD

Linking Renewable Energy to Rural Development: Drivers and Constraints

Renewable energy is increasingly being championed as a potentially significant new source of job creation in OECD countries, as well as addressing concerns with energy security and climate change. On 14-15 June, policy makers from 10 OECD countries gathered in Paris to discuss the policy implications of recent OECD research into whether renewable energy can help to develop rural economies, as well as insights on how to design and implement effective renewable energy policy in rural areas.

Recent publications

• 14/06/2012: Linking Renewable Energy to Rural Development - Policy Brief

• 07/06/2012: Compact City Policies: A Comparative Assessment, OECD Green Growth Studies (pictured)

• 06/06/2012: OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: Slovenia 2012

• 04/06/2012: The Jobs Potential of a Shift Towards a Low-carbon Economy, OECD for the European Commission

• 31/05/2012: OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: Germany 2012

• 30/05/2012: Energy Policies of IEA Countries: United Kingdom 2012 (IEA) 

• 01/05/12: Clean-Tech Clustering as an Engine for Local Development: The Negev Region, Israel: OECD Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Working Papers no 2012/11

>>Further reading

June/July key events

• 18-19 June: G20 Summit.  Participation of the OECD Secretary-General.  Los Cabos, Mexico.

• 20-22 June: United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20. OECD side-events.  Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 

• 26-28 June: European Conference on Measuring Well-Being and Fostering the Progress of Societies: e-Frame, “European Framework for Measuring Progress”.  

• 03-04 July: Capacity building seminar: Strategic approaches to demographic change in Russia and Eastern Europe (Trento, Italy)

For more information, see the green growth events calendar

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Contact us

Nathalie Girouard, Green Growth and Sustainable Development Coordinator, greengrowth@oecd.org

OECD Green Growth website | International Green Growth Dialogue site