EU's approach to cooperation on the green economy: an overview
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Environment and green economydate: 14/01/2018
This includes the new European Consensus on Development as well as relevant sector policies, notably in the areas of private sector development, trade and investment, as shown by the recent Communication "Achieving Prosperity through Trade and Investment" (which notes that "the green and circular economy offer developing countries leapfrogging opportunities in trade, growth and employment" and foresees relevant actions such as promoting social and environmental sustainability along value chains.
The inclusive Green Economy in a snapshot
The inclusive green economy is a pathway to sustainable development. It is based on an economic model that takes due consideration of environmental and social externalities, and does not focus on GDP growth as ultimate goal. It rather focuses on resource efficiency and on the natural capital as building blocks of the economy, recognising that environmental degradation undermines long term economic growth and human development, and that greener practices offer opportunities for people –e.g. green and decent jobs- and for businesses.
In the EU context, growing attention is given to the circular economy, where "the value of products, materials and resources is maintained in the economy for as long as possible, and the generation of waste minimised" following the adoption of the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) in December 2015, and which implementation also contributes to guide international cooperation actions.
The transition to inclusive green economies requires action in many different economic sectors. Cooperation programmes across different areas should therefore contribute to this process. This includes actions promoting green practices in the context of private sector development; actions in environment sectors, such as biodiversity and forestry, and relevant agricultural practices which contribute to preserve the natural capital; actions on clean energy and climate change; waste prevention, management and recycling; and actions in social sectors, notably initiatives to promote green and decent job creation.
In this context, EU's response is two-fold and includes:
a) "Dedicated" green economy programmes, which target 3 main objectives: 1) The development of enabling frameworks, based on improved capacities of policy makers, institutional coordination and policy coherence on economic and environmental issues, and stakeholder participation; 2) Green business development, showcasing the benefits of SCP practices, through improved capacities of Business Development Service (BDS) providers and workers in green sectors, as well as business dialogue and networking; 3) Access to finance and green investments, in line with the approach of the The External Investment Plan (EIP) which investment windows provide scope for significant contributions to the green economy.
The SWITCH to Green initiative, which puts under the same umbrella relevant EU supported actions, such as the SWITCH regional programmes in Asia, the Mediterranean and Africa, the Partnership for Action on Green Economy, the Green Economy Coalition, and the 10 Years Framework of Programmes (10YFP) on SCP, is the main instrument contributing to these objectives.
b) The mainstreaming of the green economy across relevant sectors of EU international cooperation, which entails a stronger focus on the economic and business incentives of environmentally sustainable practices, such as actions promoting the valuation of ecosystems and the services they provide, demonstrating benefits at business level (e.g. improved productivity, financial savings from reduced material, water or energy consumption, improved market access and premium prices, etc.), assessing and documenting the growth and job potential of environment friendly sectors and practices etc.
Further details, including information on support services available and links to green economy programmes, are available at http://www.switchtogreen.eu/. A DEVCO reference document on EU's approach to cooperation on the green economy is currently being prepared and will provide further guidance.
By SWITCH to Green facility