UN-backed website aims to aid ‘green’-minded governments
As the international community lays the groundwork for sustainable development goals after 2015, the United Nations environment agency today backed a new website that compiles hundreds of technical and policy resources to help decision-makers transition to green economic growth.
“The Green Growth Knowledge Platform provides a much needed tool to bridge knowledge gaps, exchange information and deliver policy guidance to accelerate and support the transition towards green economic development,” said Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
“A transformation towards a green economy is not just about the environment. It must be a priority across all facets of the post-2015 development agenda in order to deliver growth and prosperity and improved livelihoods,” he added, stressing the need for “a holistic and far-sighted approach.”
The website features a searchable e-library with over 600 technical and policy resources, as well as dashboards with data and policies for 193 countries.
It is part of the Geneva-based Green Growth Knowledge Platform (GGKP) founded in 2012 by UNEP, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Bank and the Global Green Growth Institute.
Based on the idea that green growth knowledge and suitable policies could be shared and applied by different countries, the platform collects and processes theoretical knowledge and practical experience and makes it available to interested countries interested in implementing green economic policies.
As of this month, the GGKP confirms agreements with 29 knowledge partners, including international organizations, research institutes and think tanks. It will work with these partners to promote collaboration and coordinated research on a number of priority themes, including green growth indicators and measurement, trade and competitiveness and green technology and innovation, according to the news release.
UNEP will host the GGKP’s next Annual Conference this September in its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.