Green Economy

 

Prof Judi Wakhungu - Cabinet Secretary of the Kenyan Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources

“Green Economy driven by resource efficiency is the basis for sustainable development and poverty eradication. A green economy revolution is already taking place in Kenya, where the harvesting of geothermal energy from the East African Rift is just one of the many renewable energy projects underway across the country. By learning to more accurately value our own natural resources, Kenya will be able to better harness these strategies as it moves towards a holistic, inclusive green economy in the future."

Donald Kaberuka - President of the African Development Bank (AfDB)

“[It is] a glass half-full, glass half-empty situation for Africa. We’re making progress on thinking about the green economy, and especially the linkage between poverty alleviation and the environment. This is not something we do because the international community is asking us to do it. We do it for Africa because we are closely linked to nature in terms of our livelihoods. "

Mr Trevor Manuel - Minister in The Presidency of South Africa: National Planning Commission

“The carbon economy has run its course. We need to be clear about the need for a paradigm shift. Generations have helped create the problem. How do we resolve that legacy?"

"The challenge we face is to help the different strata of society - to help governments, businesses and society - make better-informed decisions on these crucial issues. The objective here, when we meet like this in Africa, is about how we unpack the science, add voice and enable action that is meaningful."

Davinder Lamba - Director of the Mazingira Institute, a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Nairobi, Kenya.

“The green economy is a black box right now. We don’t know what will make it tick. More “transparency and agency” will be required to overcome the reluctance and opposition to creating green economies. By “agency” meaning that those at the bottom, the poor and poorest countries, must have a role in shaping what green economies are and how they will work."

Ban Ki-moon - UN Secretary General

“We all aspire to reach better living conditions. Yet, this will not be possible by following the current growth model... We need a practical twenty-first century development model that connects the dots between the key issues of our time: poverty reduction; job generation; inequality; climate change; environmental stress; water, energy and food security."

Jean-Claude Burgelman - Head of Unit C2, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission

"A shift in mindsets could take place, from the current paradigm, which sees the environment predominantly as an externality, towards one which views it as a global common good and as a potential driver for economic growth."

"This shift in mindsets could be driven by a recognition of the potential that such a “new deal” on green growth holds for economic renewal and growth."

Irina Bokova - Director-General of UNESCO

"We need an approach to development that starts with individual dignity, that is centred on human growth, and that provides convincing answers to the complex social, economic and environmental questions we face. We need new indicators to guide us and new measurements of progress. Sustainable growth must be inclusive, it must be socially equitable, and it must protect our ecosystems and climate. The mantra of ‘grow today, clean up later’ can no longer stand – for developed or developing countries. The time when we could put off difficult choices is over. There are no more shortcuts."

Dr Morné du Plessis - Chief Executive: WWF South Africa

"The daunting truth of climate change is still inconvenient for a majority of business dealings, as it refutes perpetual and exponential GDP growth as a measure of economic success."

Achim Steiner - UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme

“We need to make every dollar and euro, every rupee and peso work harder and on multiple fronts – that will really accelerate the transition towards a Green Economy that is here to stay, through decoupling and resource efficiency, getting more with less."

"The green development path should maintain, enhance and, where necessary, rebuild natural capital as a critical economic asset and source of public benefits, especially for the poor whose livelihoods and security depends strongly on nature."

Sharan Burrow - General Secretary of the International Trades Unions Council (ITUC)

“Governments must realise that unless there is a drastic change in the way the world is governed, there is no chance that social equity or environmental protection will be achieved."

Myanna Lahsen - Senior Researcher II in the Earth System Science Center at the Brazilian Institute for Space Research (INPE)

“We need scientists from all backgrounds to work together to inform society about possibilities in the transition to green economies and by connecting excellent young scientists across disciplines early on in their careers, this conference plays an important role in that regard."

Aviana Bulgarelli - Director of Cedefop

“The shift towards greening the economy will require the second greatest economic transformation after the industrial revolution. We have not paid enough attention to the social dimension of sustainable development: its implications for employment, training and decent work."

"Green sectors will require new jobs, but they will also need to redefine many existing job profiles. The demand for new related skills will also rise in most occupations. Practically all jobs will need to develop knowledge and skills related to the environment, such as the efficient use of energy. We will all need to learn how to think about the consequences of our work practices and types of adjustments required."

Jules Peck - Partner, Abundancy Partners and Chair, Edelman’s Sustainability Group

“If we are obsessed by growing the economy and greening the economy
– putting a green veneer on what is effectively an obsession with growth
– we are completely missing out the much more rich and important definition of prosperity, which is about increasing flourishing lives for everybody, for all our citizens."

Liu Xiaoguang - Declared President and Chief Executive Officer of the Beijing Capital Group

“The green economy will trigger a new industrial revolution globally, and it will become the new global economic growth locomotive."