Can the Economy ever be Green - Assignment Example

Can the economy ever be green? Name Institution Introduction The world we live in today is very largely contrasted to the world we know a few centuries ago. It is true that we live in a world whose economy and civilization is far much superior to that we used to live in two centuries ago. However, so-called civilization has come forth because of industrialization. Industrialization has resulted into environmental degradation. The advancement of pollution and environmental degradation has resulted into advocacy on environmental governance (Bahr 2009, p. 7). This paper will illuminate the tie between how economies lead to an improvement in human well-being as well as social equality. This is referred to modestly as the green economy. The green economy should not only improve the social and human well-being and social equality but should also be able to reduce the environmental risks and various ecological scarcities around (Fien & Guevara 2012, p.12). This paper will investigate whether it is a possibility to have a green economy and whether this economy has the capacity to be sustained both in the short run as well as in the long run. Companies are struggling to work in an environmental friendly manner that is in sync with the environmental conservation desired. It is with this view in mind that the discourse in this paper is based. Examples will be given in this paper to show the link of green economy and environmental sustainability. Green economy Before the paper embarks on a discussion of the green economy and the various tenets that make the economy become referred to as ‘green’, it would be vital to provide a definition here. A green economy can be defined as n economy that places the welfare of the people at heart while at the same time making sure that it also takes care of the environment (Hiraldo & Tanner 2011, p. 12). In other words, a green economy is that which is concerned about how people relate, behave and their general wellbeing without bringing harm to the environment. A green economy is almost an impossible fete to achieve especially in this era of industrialization. More and more lands and environments are facing the risk of being damaged to pave the way for building of industries and estates especially in capitalist nations. A green economy reverses all this. It is a concept that is applied to show how industries, social, economic and political fronts can co-exist without having to bring danger and damage to the environment in which they live in. There are a few classic examples of how this can be achieved. Environmental governance This term intertwines all the human activities and the environment. It is a concept that shows how human beings maintain a form of sustainability to the environment as they engage in their social, economic as well as political activities. The concept of governance incorporates the whole system, the businesspeople, the government, the society and all stakeholders in the community (ACCA global 2013, p.3). There are a few factors and substances that are considered as public goods and they fall in the environmental category. Some of these are good habitation, fresh air, stable climatic conditions and biodiversity. If in one way or the other, these substances are not met or they get spoilt, this is translated to environmental degradation. This is where the concept of environmental governance comes in. environmental governance dictates how people and all the other stakeholders should act so that they prevent environmental degradation. In addition to prevention, they find a way to ensure that there is sustainability. This will lead to the creation and sustenance of a green economy. There are several ways to do so as the following paragraphs detail. Businesses and industries in the world have been the main cause of environmental degradation and pollution (UNU-IAS Policy Report 2013, p.3). The global warming is being caused by emissions from these businesses and industries across the globe. However, if the businesspeople embraced the concept of environmental governance, the concept of green economy would fit in just right. In the process of production, companies emit smoke that might contain harmful gases to the atmosphere, causing environmental pollution and degradation (Hatfield-Dodds et al 2008, p.5). If these companies become environmental friendly, it is possible to achieve some harmony between them and the environment. They can use means to ensure that they treat these emissions to the atmosphere so that they do not harm the Ozone layer. Businesses can also try to adopt better sources of energy that would ease the burden on environment. For instance, companies can stop using wood as a source of fuel and shift to other forms of fuels such as solar power and petroleum. Mining companies that leave gaping holes on the environment once they have exhausted the resources should find other uses for the land or find ways of covering those mines up so that they do not become environmental hazards. On a political setup, the policies made by politicians influence to a very great deal how the environment is protected. They are the people who have the power to pass regulations that govern how people treat the environment (Law et al 2012, p. 835). For instance, they may impose a fine on any person who is found cutting trees on specific places in the society. They may also impose fines on companies and businesses who throw their refuse onto the environment. Before a company is granted the license to start operating in a certain environment, they need to be able to fulfill a number of requirements by law. They are responsible for the control of the way people behave towards the environment and the kind of punishment that they receive if they do not adhere to these laws. On the economic point of view, there is a very close correlation between environmental degradation and economic growth. The relationship is inverse. The interpretation is that as the level of economic degradation increases, the economic growth decreases (KPMG 2008, p. 12). The economy finds its base from the environment. It is in the environment that economies are built, people thrive and businesses are run. Because of this reason, people should advocate for the creation of ‘green’ jobs. People need to be able to identify that through conservation of the environment, the economy also prevails. Jobs that are linked to the environmental conservation should be created. People should have enough awareness of how the economy is supported by the conservation of the environment. Civil societies and other non-governmental organizations could also be very instrumental in the creation of a green economy. Civil societies have the advantage of being independent from the government. Because of this reason, they are very good critics of the actions that the government takes. This freedom could be very helpful in the creation and sustenance of a green economy. There are several activities that civil societies engage themselves in on an environmental platform. They could be responsible in the monitoring of the company’s activities and the way these companies contribute to environmental degradation (Miranda et al. 2011, p. 4). For example, if a company directs its effluent into a river, the civil society is liable to protest this and have the company ordered to clean up their acts. The civil society is also instrumental in the mobilization of people into preservation of their environment. For instance, it is responsible for the organization of environmental friendly activities such as tree planting, clean ups and branding heritage sports in the environment. The local- based economies are also responsible for the stability and sustainability of the green economy (Eltham 2010, p. 4). For example, they advocate for economic activities that are not only economically oriented but also environmental friendly. The local based economies allow various actors such as the politicians, businesses and civil societies to have a chance to work together to achieve a green economy. It also allows for the formation of groups such as the civil societies that are very active in putting pressure on governance styles to enable the creation of the green economy. The local based economies also form as platforms that link various environmental managers at the local as well as the regional levels resulting into a wholesome experience in creation and sustenance of a green economy. Conclusion The above discourse has shown how a green economy can be attained and more importantly, how this green economy can be maintained. The discussion has shown that it is the prerogative of all the actors in this case to ensure that a green economy can be attained. Environmental governance here has been shown as that which provides for the social and economic wellbeing of the people in the society while at the same time taking care to ensure that the environment is taken care of. An inverse relationship between environmental degradation and economic growth has been given in this paper. In conclusion, it is indeed possible to have an evergreen economy. What would be important, as the discussion above has shown would be the capacity to ensure that all the stakeholders play their role in sustaining this green economy. References ACCA global 2013, ‘Is the green economy coming?’ discussion paper, viewed 12 November 2013, http://www.accaglobal.com/content/dam/acca/global/PDF-technical/climate-change/tech-tp-gec.pdf Bahr, J, M 2009, ‘O Brave New World: Geoscientists in an Emerging Green Economy’ GSA Annual Meeting Presidential Address-the Outcrop, pp. 7-9. Eltham, B 2010, ‘Australian green economic potential’, Center for policy development, viewed 12 November 2013, http://cpd.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/CPD-OP10-Australias_Green_Economic_Potential.pdf Fien, J & Guevara, J, R 2012, ‘Skills for a Green Economy: Practice, Possibilities and Prospects’, viewed 12 November 2013, http://www.unesco.org/education/TVET2012/roundtable/5/J-Fien-and-J-Guevara.pdf Hatfield-Dodds et al 2008, ‘Growing the Green Collar Economy: Skills and labour challenges in reducing our greenhouse emissions and national environmental footprint’ viewed 12 November 2013, http://www.csiro.au/files/files/plej.pdf Hiraldo, R & Tanner, T 2011, ‘The Global Political Economy of REDD+ Engaging Social Dimensions in the Emerging Green Economy’, United Nations Research Institute for Social Development paper, viewed 12 November 2013, http://www.ids.ac.uk/files/dmfile/Hiraldo-Tanner3.pdf KPMG 2008, ‘A national energy efficient program to assist low-income households, KPMG, Brotherhood of St. Lawrence and Ecos,’ viewed 12 November 2013, http://www.bsl.org.au/pdfs/KPMG_econ_impact_national_energy_efficiency_program.pdf Law et al 2012, ‘Towards a green economy decision support system for tourism destinations’, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, vol.20, no.6, pp.823-843. Miranda, G. et al. 2011, ‘Climate Change, Employment and Local Development, Sydney, Australia’, OECD Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Working Papers, 2011/14, viewed 12 November 2013, http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/5kg20639kgkj-en UNU-IAS Policy Report 2013, ‘Governance Challenges for Greening the Urban Economy: Understanding and Assessing the Links between Governance and Green Economy in Cities,’ viewed 12 November 2013, http://www.ias.unu.edu/resource_centre/Governance%20Challenges%20for%20Greening%20the%20Urban%20Economy.pdf Read More