The new climate economics

The author discusses the tension between climate action and economic growth, highlighting the role of the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate in providing evidence that low-carbon investments can drive cleaner growth. It cites examples of national policies in Germany, South Korea, Mexico, China, Ethiopia, and Brazil, as well as corporate commitments from Unilever, Coca-Cola, and Wal-Mart, to illustrate the transition toward a climate-resilient economy.

• There is an ongoing economic debate regarding whether policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon pricing and renewable energy investments, undermine economic growth, particularly as the global economy recovers from the 2008 financial crash.
• Proponents of low-carbon growth argue that energy efficiency and clean-energy technologies create market opportunities, improve public health by reducing air pollution, enhance energy security, and increase energy access for the poor.
• The Global Commission on the Economy and Climate's 'New Climate Economy' project aims to provide evidence on how to achieve economic growth while addressing climate risks, moving beyond ideological disputes to treat climate policy as a market-based correction of market failures.
• Various nations have implemented specific low-carbon strategies: Germany focuses on energy conservation and renewables; South Korea prioritizes "green growth"; Mexico enacted the 2012 General Law on Climate Change; China emphasizes green technology industrial development; Ethiopia targets lower-carbon farming; and Brazil has reduced Amazon deforestation.
• Private sector and financial institution actions include Unilever's sustainable sourcing, Coca-Cola's phase-out of hydrofluorocarbons, Wal-Mart's supply chain emissions reductions, and the World Bank and European Investment Bank's cessation of lending to high-emission coal plants.

APA

Calderón, F., & Stern, N. (2013). The new climate economics. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/the-new-climate-economics/

Chicago

Calderón, Felipe, and Nicholas Stern. The new climate economics. World Economic Forum, 2013. https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/the-new-climate-economics/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Calderón |first1=Felipe |last2=Stern |first2=Nicholas |title=The new climate economics |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=24 September 2013 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/the-new-climate-economics/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{caldern2013new, author = {Calderón, Felipe and Stern, Nicholas}, title = {{The new climate economics}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2013}, month = sep, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/the-new-climate-economics/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }