Real green economies

This conference report from the Green Economy Coalition details discussions held at Wilton Park in February 2014 regarding 'Real Green Economies'. The document critiques the macro-economic, top-down models of 'green growth' promoted by international institutions, arguing that they often ignore social justice and the needs of the poor. It advocates for a transition based on diverse, community-led pathways and the integration of social equity into green policy from the outset.

• There is no universal model for a green economy; instead, there are various pathways and existing community-level 'real green economies' that should inform international policy through seven key actions, including increasing the voice of marginalised stakeholders and embracing diverse approaches.
• A distinction exists between 'green growth', which focuses on GDP productivity and resource efficiency, and a 'green economy', which has broader goals of economic reform to protect natural systems and ensure inclusive economies.
• Current 'green growth' policies often fail to address the needs of poor communities or tackle structural power asymmetries, and there is limited evidence that these policy packages generate new job opportunities for the poor.
• Developing countries have the potential to 'leapfrog' the industrial development paths of wealthier nations by investing in low-carbon infrastructure rather than fossil fuels, though some perceive the 'green economy' discourse as being tailored to rich, high-consumption countries.
• To be truly inclusive, green policies must be framed by social justice goals—such as redistributing asset control and enforcing labour rights—from the beginning, rather than treating social concerns as a secondary 'impact assessment'.
• Financial transition requires 'greening' existing flows, such as Official Development Assistance (ODA), and reforming financial regulations to connect stability agendas with green transitions, while using sovereign wealth funds to counter short-termism.
• Market-based and technocratic solutions can lead to 'green grabs' and the commodification of natural resources, potentially disconnecting them from social contexts and threatening the livelihoods of poor communities.

APA

Benson, E. (2014). Real green economies. Green Economy Coalition. https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/assets/reports/External-Reports/WP1272-Report-RealGreenEconomies.pdf

Chicago

Benson, Emily. Real green economies. Green Economy Coalition, 2014. https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/assets/reports/External-Reports/WP1272-Report-RealGreenEconomies.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Benson |first1=Emily |title=Real green economies |publisher=Green Economy Coalition |date=April 2014 |url=https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/assets/reports/External-Reports/WP1272-Report-RealGreenEconomies.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{benson2014real, author = {Benson, Emily}, title = {{Real green economies}}, institution = {Green Economy Coalition}, year = {2014}, month = apr, url = {https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/assets/reports/External-Reports/WP1272-Report-RealGreenEconomies.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }