UN calls for worldwide investment in the green economy

The Guardian reports that the United Nations is calling for 2% of worldwide income to be invested in the "green economy." It is expected that investing 2% of the world's GDP would "more than pay for itself" by creating millions of new jobs, supporting new industries, increasing energy efficiency, improving health, and cutting back on greenhouse emissions. This "low-carbon investment" is being embraced in countries like China and India, the latter of which "has a national action plan expected to stimulate $1 trillion of investment in the next decade."

Image: Johann Dréo in Wikimedia Commons

In the U.S., however, investment in renewable energy is grinding to a halt. President Obama was expected to show support for the proposed UN initiative, while at the same time fighting legislation in Congress that could cut investments in low-carbon projects in half.

All of this is worth noting, not only because we've been discussing sustainability in its many forms, but also because there seems to be a fairly clear relationship between the emerging green economy (and the myriad programs that comprise it) and economic development. Political ideologies may get in the way of funneling investments here in the U.S., but all parties can fundamentally agree that the economy needs a boost. In addition to touting the environmental impacts of low-carbon investment, the reality is that we need to incorporate tangible, quantitative analysis in presenting innovative green strategies to a broader audience, showing that the green economy will, in fact, be integral to our path to a healthy economy.