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Transition to a Green Economy: Benefits, Challenges and Risks from a Sustainable Development Perspective
UNDESA DSD, UNEP, UNCTAD, 2011
by: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)

At the UNCSD's first Preparatory Committee in May 2010, several delegations requested that the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and other relevant organizations cooperate to prepare a study to be available for the second Preparatory Committee which would assess both the benefits and the challenges and risks associated with a transition to a green economy.

This document responds to this mandate. The full title of the publication is "Transition to a Green Economy: Benefits, Challenges and Risks from a Sustainable Development Perspective", and contain three papers. The first one, by Jos Antonio Ocampo, looks at the macroeconomic policy implications of the transition to the green economy. The second, by Aaron Cosbey, focuses on the interlinked issues of trade, investment and technology. The third, by Martin Khor, considers the risks that this concept generates for developing countries and the domestic and international policies necessary to promote the green economy in these countries according to the principles of sustainable development. This summary presents the major policy conclusions that emanate from these contributions.

Prepared under the direction of:

- Division for Sustainable Development, UN-DESA

- United Nations Environment Programme

- UN Conference on Trade and Development

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