Green economy

The Green Economy, as it is understood in the 21st century, is an economic model designed to function in harmony with the environment, as opposed to against it. It actively seeks to reduce environmental risks and ecological scarcities while aiming for sustainable development. It also champions the notion of not only economic, but also social well-being. Central to this model are two guiding principles – reducing emissions and minimizing waste, while increasing efficiency in the use of resources. Thus, the Green Economy and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations (UN) are inextricably linked, both attempting to create an integrated approach to solving environmental, societal, and economic challenges.

The 17 SDGs are aimed at eradicating poverty, fighting inequality, and addressing climate change, among others. Many of these goals are directly linked to the principles of the Green Economy. For example, SDG 7 advocates for affordable and clean energy, which echoes the Green Economy's push for the efficient use of resources and lower emissions. Similarly, SDG 12, which is about responsible consumption and production, corresponds to the Green Economy's focus on minimizing waste and resource efficiency.

The Green Economy acts as a driving force to achieve these SDGs by fostering economic growth and job creation, through sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices. By directing investments into sectors such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and green construction, it helps not only in achieving SDGs related to climate action and responsible consumption but also those associated with poverty eradication, zero hunger, and decent work, to name a few. Through this holistic approach, the Green Economy ensures the synergistic attainment of SDGs, promoting an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable future for all.

The relationship between the Green Economy and the SDGs is a symbiotic one, where each feeds into and strengthens the other. The Green Economy offers a practical pathway to reach the SDGs, while the SDGs provide a comprehensive framework that gives direction to the Green Economy. It’s a sustainable match made in heaven, where the implementation of one enhances the achievement of the other, making them two sides of the same coin in the quest for global sustainability and a better future for all.

Elsevier,

Sustainability, Energy and Architecture, Case Studies in Realizing Green Buildings, 2013, Pages 359-385.

 

This chapter advances goals 11 and 7 by analysing the users' perceptions of thirty-one sustainable commercial and institutional buildings located in a range of climatic zones.
Sustainable innovation is a key-objective for our Group that has recently integrated the principles of sustainable development into all stages of a product's life cycle, from its design to consumer use. The following ambitious commitment: 100% of its products should bring an environmental (or social benefit) by 2020, will be reached, in particular, by integrating and giving a constant privilege to renewable raw materials -or ingredients-that originate from sustainable resources that fully comply with the green chemistry rules.
Elsevier, Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, Volume 13, October 2018
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's) have exceptional value in identifying key areas of challenge that need urgent improvement if we are to move away from the unsustainable trajectory that we are on. The place that is a major shortcoming of these goals is that they take a highly integrated and inextricably linked system, and express them as individual areas such as food, water, poverty, materials, empowerment, etc. In the absence of systems thinking, there is an excellent chance of noble intentions bringing about unintended and perhaps counter-productive consequences.
Elsevier, Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, Volume 13, October 2018
Until now, much Green and Sustainable Chemistry has been focused on how chemicals are made. Here we suggest that, if chemistry is to contribute effectively to achieving the SDGs, we need to change the way that things are done at both ends of the chemical supply chain. For chemical research at the start of the chain, we need to rethink how we build the laboratories in which we carry out the research so as to minimize the use of energy.
Elsevier, Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, Volume 34, October 2018
The transformational potential of Agenda 2030 lies in the synergies to be found among the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs were designed to be interdependent, requiring enhanced policy coherence for sustainable development, and forests have a prominent role to play in their success.
Towns and cities worldwide emit significant pollution and are also increasingly affected by pollution's health and climate impacts. Local decision makers can alleviate these impacts by transitioning the energy they control to 100% clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency. This study develops roadmaps to transition 53 towns and cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico to 100% wind, water, and sunlight (WWS) in all energy sectors by no later than 2050, with at least 80% by 2030.

The concern regarding alternate sources of energy is mounting day-by-day due to the effect of pollution that is damaging the environment. Algae are a diverse group of aquatic organisms have an efficiency and ability in mitigating carbon dioxide emissions and produce oil with a high productivity which has a lot of potential applications in producing biofuel, otherwise known as the third-generation biofuel.

Elsevier,

Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, Volume 13, October 2018

A brief review of Chilean policies on sustainability along with the academic efforts related to green chemistry, in order with this new scenario are discussed. Topics considered are extraction processes, new solvents, CO2 transformation and emerging photovoltaics materials.

The use of biomass for energy production is one way to ensure energy security and address the environmental issues related to the use of fossil fuels in developing countries. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) need electric power and thermal energy for their activities. In Burkina Faso, this type of thermal energy is generally produced by SMEs from firewood. However, cashew companies produce a large amount of waste (shell, press cake, nut shell liquid) which can be converted into fuel. Separating the cashew nut from the shell requires two energy-intensive steps: roasting and drying.

Sustainable Materials and Technologies, Volume 17, September 2018, e00074

This article observes how the criticality of raw materials is perceived and handled within Materials Science, contributing to goals 9 and 12

Pages