The Green Economy Barometer 2017

The 2017 Green Economy Barometer reports a dual reality: while renewable energy capacity is growing and green technologies are hitting mass markets, the 'brown economy' remains dominant, biodiversity is in crisis, and financial systems continue to subsidise fossil fuels. The document argues that the transition is gathering speed but risks failure if it does not address the needs of rural economies, informal workers, and the youth unemployment crisis.

• Renewable energy is seeing significant growth, with new renewable sources accounting for 55.3% of all new power generation capacity added worldwide in 2016. This growth is driven by sharp reductions in capital costs for solar photovoltaics and onshore and offshore wind.
• Despite the rise of renewables, the 'brown economy' persists; fossil fuels still provide approximately 86% of global energy, a share that has remained nearly constant for 25 years. Furthermore, the global carbon intensity of the economy fell by 2.6% in 2016, which is significantly lower than the 6.3% annual reduction required to keep temperature increases below 2°C.
• Global biodiversity is in a state of crisis, with approximately 60% of the world's ecosystems degraded over the last 50 years. Populations of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals have more than halved since 1970.
• Financial systems have not undergone systemic reform since the 2008-2009 crisis, and governments continue to heavily subsidise fossil fuels. The IMF estimates that global fossil fuel subsidies, including environmental and health externalities, total 5.3 trillion USD annually.
• Green investment is increasing, with over 8.13 trillion USD invested in the green economy since 2007, and the green bond market reaching 895 billion USD. However, this investment is primarily concentrated in urban centres, large infrastructure, and the transport sector, leaving rural economies and smallholder farmers behind.
• Social inequality is rising, with seven out of ten people living in countries that have experienced increased inequality over the last 30 years. There is a growing crisis of 'jobless growth,' particularly affecting young people and low-skilled workers due to automation.

APA

Green Economy Coalition (2017). The Green Economy Barometer 2017. https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/assets/reports/GEC-Reports/Green-Economy-Barometer-2017-web.pdf

Chicago

Green Economy Coalition. The Green Economy Barometer 2017. 2017. https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/assets/reports/GEC-Reports/Green-Economy-Barometer-2017-web.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Green Economy Coalition |title=The Green Economy Barometer 2017 |date=2017 |url=https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/assets/reports/GEC-Reports/Green-Economy-Barometer-2017-web.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greeneconomycoalition2017green, author = {{Green Economy Coalition}}, title = {{The Green Economy Barometer 2017}}, institution = {Green Economy Coalition}, year = {2017}, url = {https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/assets/reports/GEC-Reports/Green-Economy-Barometer-2017-web.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }