The concluding session during the GGKP annual meeting highlighted and synthesized the major insights, ideas and proposals raised during the two day conference. Professor Edwin Muchapondwa, UCT, represented EfD in the panel discussion since EfD was partner to GGGI in organizing the academic program.
Inclusive green growth will not happen by itself, we need to be proactive, concluded the panelists who consisted of Dr Steven Stone, Chief of UNEP's Geneva-based Economy and Trade Branch ; Marianne Fay, Chief Economist, Sustainable Development, World Bank; Ms Kumi Kitamori, Head of Green Growth and Global Relations Division, Environment Directorate, OECD; Mr. Orestes Anastasia, Head of Knowledge Management, GGGI and Professor Edwin Muchapondwa, University of Cape Town, and Senior Research Fellow, EfD.
Collaboration is the way forward, and we need to focus on learning from each other. We do not longer have to choose between being green or grow, we can do both! The concept of inclusion does not only refer to poor and marginalized people, it also means including the business and labor communities, not only research and policymakers, in a necessary transformation of our economy.
On the research side, EfD was mentioned as an example of a strong network that can be used as a stepping stone for the international collaboration that is so important for scaling up positive experiences. But to be successful, we need to prioritize our research to the policy bottlenecks. To be strategic, we need to know exactly where the knowledge gaps and development myths are that are holding back green growth paths.
How to communicate inclusive green growth was also a topic brought up to discussion during the session. Edwin Muchaponda mentioned that he has seen country leaders who reject green growth immediately and therefore we must be careful on how we communicate inclusive growth. If it is perceived as a niche issue, that won’t do it. Therefore, we need to make success stories more visible.
A concrete recommendation from the panel that came up was to start with local and immediate projects. It is hard to sell the concept of green growth only on long term promises. Start locally, and even if there are small improvements, they will add to the bigger picture.
This conference on inclusive green growth was a scoping exercise, where delegates together have been mapping out the dimensions of inclusive green growth.