Why we need a “new deal” on green growth

The author proposes a "new deal" on green growth, envisioning a public-private partnership that treats the environment as a global common good rather than an externality. This shift is framed as an opportunity for economic renewal, driven by private sector adoption of green technologies, citizen pressure on governments, and the high cost of inaction. The text highlights existing progress in Germany's solar industry and calls for a coordinated global effort to avoid ecological catastrophe and economic stagnation.

• The author proposes a "new deal" on green growth, which is envisioned as a novel public-private sector collaboration that integrates innovation across technology, business models, finance, governance, regulation, and social innovation, such as car sharing.
• Several factors could drive the necessary shift in mindset to view the environment as a global common good: the potential for economic renewal, private sector recognition of opportunities in green products and services (e.g., electric cars and organic farming), and citizen pressure on governments to address pollution and climate-induced disasters.
• The cost of inaction regarding environmental degradation is significantly higher than the cost of investing in green growth; specifically, a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimated that inaction would be 138% more costly than taking action.
• Germany's solar industry serves as evidence of successful green transition, now employing more people than the nuclear industry and providing more power than 22 nuclear plants, with a target of 35% green electricity by 2020.

APA

Burgelman, J.-C. (2015). Why we need a “new deal” on green growth. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/economic-growth/why-we-need-a-new-deal-on-green-growth/

Chicago

Burgelman, Jean-Claude. Why we need a “new deal” on green growth. World Economic Forum, 2015. https://www.weforum.org/stories/economic-growth/why-we-need-a-new-deal-on-green-growth/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Burgelman |first1=Jean-Claude |title=Why we need a “new deal” on green growth |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=18 January 2015 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/economic-growth/why-we-need-a-new-deal-on-green-growth/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{burgelman2015why, author = {Burgelman, Jean-Claude}, title = {{Why we need a “new deal” on green growth}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2015}, month = jan, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/economic-growth/why-we-need-a-new-deal-on-green-growth/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }