Green economy which requires economic development without sacrificing the environment proves to be a critical means to eradicate poverty worldwide, said UN Environment Program Deputy Executive Director Ibrahim Thiaw. (Xinhua/Yuan Yue)
UNITED NATIONS, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Green economy which requires economic development without sacrificing the environment proves to be a critical means to eradicate poverty worldwide, said UN Environment Program Deputy Executive Director Ibrahim Thiaw.
"The environment is one of the major contributors to poverty eradication because the poorest people in the world have assets related to the environment, such as soil, water, fisheries, and forests," Thiaw told Xinhua in a recent interview.
"We are convinced that poverty eradication may be achieved best when the environment is well protected," he said.
An annual high-level forum on sustainable development concluded earlier this week at the UN headquarters with an outcome document which calls for the expeditious implementation of a set of global goals to lift millions out of poverty and also conserve the environment as well as achieving social equality.
The document acknowledges that 1.6 billion people still live in "multidimensional poverty," though extreme poverty has fallen globally; and climate change, as well as land degradation, are posing threats to small-scale food producers, thus leading to possible hunger and poverty.
Thiaw said the green economy is an idea that can offer a viable solution in the long run; it requires economic growth which can create jobs continuously and meanwhile protect the ecosystems which can reduce harms and risks to the most vulnerable people around the world.
Noting that green financing is a critical part of the idea, Thiaw said that it involves investments in projects that are climate compatible or resistant to climate shocks which are believed to be beneficial to both businesses as well as the environment.
Earlier this month, the UN Environment Program has launched a partnership with 11 of the world's leading banks, representing over 7 trillion U.S. dollars, to develop analytical tools and indicators to strengthen assessment of climate-related risks as well as opportunities.
It will enable information disclosure to financial industries as well as non-financial sectors including energy, transportation, agriculture, food and forest products to better cope with environmental challenges.
Thiaw said the move is an important and innovative endeavor to develop the green economy and combat climate change with the participation of lower level actors such as the financial institutions, the private sector and the NGOs instead of governments or nations.
"They are small steps, but they are very important," he added. "Without the private sector, local authorities, local states, (or) communities, we will not achieve what we want to in the reduction of emissions. Actions will have to be mobilized from those actors of the economy."
Thiaw said that to fight poverty and to address environmental pollution, sustainable production and consumption patterns of food and energy are essential. However, the problem of food waste is still serious and progress seems to be lagging behind.
Therefore, he said more efforts are in need to change people's lifestyles and also consumption patterns so as to improve the livelihood of the mankind while protecting the planet.
