Coordinate green growth

Abstract

Green economic growth needs a shared sense of direction if it is to lead to a more sustainable future under climate change. Studies on green innovation and societal transformation show that uncoordinated initiatives are unlikely to be an effective way “to get the ball rolling and to ‘learn by doing’” (Nature 468, 477; 2010). First, socio-technical transformations, such as the transition from fossil fuels to renewable-energy sources, will require several decades to complete. Speeding up this process needs focus and coordination at the international level. Second, the learning curves for creating energy-efficient and renewable-energy technologies are global. Here, coordination will be necessary to determine cost reductions and to increase performance. Third, green growth calls for major shifts in the way in which economies are organized. It is not trivial to align the interests of fossil-fuel-intensive incumbent industries and their supporting power structures with the interests of emerging ‘green’ industries. Again, coordination will be necessary to overcome the resistance to change in incumbent production and consumption systems.