The Green Economy

The ‘green economy’ has emerged in recent years as a ‘new’ concept in economic thinking and has quickly become embedded in mainstream policy and financial discourses. The idea of a green economy has been celebrated by those who see it as a welcome change to the organisation of global and national economies that will result in more ecologically sensitive modes of production and consumption. At the same time, the concept has been subjected to intense critique from several quarters, such as green NGOs and activists as another iteration of ‘business as usual’ or as a mask for capitalism’s continuing and worsening impacts on the environment. But this rush to either praise or condemn the concept, seems to have got ahead of developing a thorough understanding of what the green economy actually is in terms of its rationales, actors, modes, areas and sectors of operation.

However, this rising volume of critique and commentary are preceding a much-needed, global understanding of the phenomenon of the green economy. Only then can we really begin to make informed assessments of its strengths, weaknesses and challenges. This book traces the evolution and emergence of the contemporary green economy idea, interrogates the motivations of green economy strategies and explores how processes of economic-environmental change can be managed. The book also provides a global overview of the green economy, drawing on examples from across the Global North and Global South. As much writing on the green economy has, to date, focused almost exclusively on Europe and North America, the book contributes a more diverse understanding of the green economy, and provides useful case study material for students on a wide range of courses.