NEW YORK, NY - February 08, 2010
-- Instead of belt-tightening in this time of financial crisis,
resources must be redirected to spur 'clean' economic growth in
developing nations, according to a report from the United Nations trade
agency issued today.
Such progress towards growth that is
economically efficient, environmentally friendly and more socially
equitable is possible and affordable with existing technology, the
"
Trade and Environment Review 2009/2010" by the UN Conference on Trade
and Development (
UNCTAD) noted.
Precisely because so little has
been done in developing nations, huge gains can be realized in job
creation, energy efficiency, sustainable agriculture and the use of
'off-grid' renewable energy.
To ensure these kinds of successes,
governments must take a more proactive role, the report emphasized,
shedding market barriers and policies preventing capital flow into
these sectors. Better incentives are also essential to trigger private
investment and cumulative technological changes to support
diversification.
In the realm of energy efficiency, UNCTAD said
that strides can be made in many low-income and least developed
countries at negative net cost, since 'green' buildings are not much
more expensive to build than normal construction and also pay off in
the long run in the form of reduced energy bills.
The report
suggested that government encourage organic farming, integrated pest
management minimizing the use of agro-chemicals and other methods to
promote sustainable agriculture.
'Off-grid' energy sources,
including solar panels, windmills and biogas generators using
agricultural waste, can enhance agricultural production, improve air
quality and create jobs, it adds.
The study cites the example of
the Grameen microcredit bank in Bangladesh, which has helped more than
2 million people in 40,000 rural villages access renewable energy,
while the Employment and Power Partnership Programme of Decentralized
Energy Systems of India has proven that self-sustained growth is
possible through rural electrification supporting micro-enterprises.