Sustainable development through green economy

A green economy is necessary if sustainable development is to be realised. For countries at all levels of development, the drive towards environmental sustainability and greener economies is gaining momentum. More fundamentally, employment and social inclusion must be integral parts of any sustainable development strategy and must be included in policies that address climate change and ensure the preservation of the environment. In a word, sustainable development indicates the development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.  Moving towards a green economy can be an important driver in this effort.
Over the last few years, the concept of a "green economy" has moved into the mainstream of policy discourse. Heads of state and finance ministers increasingly speaking about the green economy.
The term "green economy'' has emerged in 1989 and is currently more attention than many other evolving issues. The Global Green New Deal (GGND) called on governments to allocate a significant share of stimulus funding to green sectors and set out three objectives: (i) economic recovery; (ii) poverty eradication; and (iii) reduced carbon emissions and ecosystem degradation. The DDND proposed a framework for green stimulus programmes as well as supportive domestic and international policies (UNEMG, 2011). Practically, a green economy is one whose growth in income and employment is driven by public and private investments that reduce carbon emissions and pollution, enhance energy and resource efficiency and prevent the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. This development path should maintain asset and source of public benefits, especially for poor people whose livelihoods and security depend strongly on nature.
Twenty years after Rio-1992 the same old problems, such as deforestation and air and water pollution, persist in many parts of the world and many global problems have been aggravated, including climate change and bio-diversity loss. New problems have emerged, such as the degradation of the oceans and the increasing concentration of persistent organic pollutants.
 The agenda for sustainable development is more complex because the population keeps growing and economic crises have hit several parts of the world. Many of the problems are intertwined and win-win solutions are not always easy. Even when there is commitment, there are implementation gaps in the capacity of international regimes and governments to make changes happen on the ground on a large scale.
Bangladesh, like other countries in the G-77 grouping of developing nations, wants to shift its economy onto a greener path. The condition in Bangladesh provides a basis to pursue a low-carbon and resource efficient path of economic growth and development, anchored in investment and policy reform designed to enhance livelihoods of the poor, create employment opportunities and reduce poverty. Moving towards a green economy would also provide an opportunity to address the infrastructure challenges of Bangladesh in a sustainable way. But to survive, it needs adequate funds from the major polluter (nations), or it won't be possible for us to green our economy.
National governments all over the world have said that they do not have what is required to meet the global challenges of climate change and the unsustainable use of our planet's resources. Within the arena of sustainable development, the boundaries of responsibility are undergoing a monumental shift. Undoubtedly, there is a need for commitments to zero deforestation by 2020. Presently, a joint initiative named Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) has been formed under the UN to provide comprehensive assistance to countries seeking to develop and implement inclusive green economy strategies.
So, shifting towards a green economy can be seen as a pathway to sustainable development, which is a journey rather than a destination. But in reality, the nature of it can vary greatly from country to country, depending on the  geographical confines, natural resource base, human and social capital, and level of economic development. It is true that the current unprecedented loss of bio-diversity and ecosystem degradation is affecting sectors such as agriculture, animal husbandary, fishing and foresty --the vary sectors which many of the world's poor depend upon for their livelihoods. As a result, initiatives should be taken by the  governments to ensure sustainability of development by -(1)encouraging investment in a greener economy, (2) providing targeted support to enterprises, notably small and medium enterprise (SMEs), (3) putting  in place social and labour market policies with social inclusion, (4) emphasising on skills and education policies to facilitate job transition and improve employability, (5) ensuring equitable outcomes for women and men, (6) ensuring Tripartism [tripartite contracts of business, labour and state affiliations] that job quality is at the heart of a green economy, (7) placing effective social dialogue at the centre of policy making to improve coherence and to ensure a successful shift to a new development model.
The writer is an MBA student, University of Dhaka.                    safayethussain@gmail.com