me and shelly

GREEN ECONOMY: DOES IT INCLUDE YOU?
Green Economy: A concept
A green economy is an alternative vision for growth and development; one that can generate growth and improvements in people¡¦s lives in ways consistent with sustainable development. It attempts to achieve growth in income and employment that reduces carbon emissions and pollution, enhances energy and resource efficiency, and prevents the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services
Benefits of green economy
It promotes a triple bottom line: sustaining and advancing economic, environmental and social well-being. Its benefits include:
„« It generates increases in wealth, and produces a higher rate of GDP growth.
„« Greening is linked with poverty eradication; the arising benefit-flows from natural capital directly go to the poor.
„« In a transition to a green economy, new jobs are created.
Challenges ahead
The concept of sustainable development (UNCED framework) requires balancing between (i) environmental protections and (ii) meeting the basic human needs of present and future generations. The main risks are:
„« If ¡§green economy¡¨ is operationalized in a one dimensional (i.e., purely ¡§environmental ¡§sense, without considering the development and equity dimensions) manner, it has negative effects on developing countries.
„« In a ¡§one size fits all¡¨ approach all countries are treated similarly (irrespective of their levels and stages, the priorities and condition) that leads to failures either for environment, development or both of developing countries.
„« Imposition of a ¡§carbon tariff¡¨ or ¡§border adjustment tax¡¨ on products penalizes developing countries that lack financial resources or access to low-emission technologies. This violates the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
„« Developed nation would attempt to gain market access through the guise of environment.
How to achieve green economy
The green economy concept can be achieved as follows:
„« Recognizing the economic and social value of environmental resources ;
„« Conserving resources and restoring damaged environments and eco-systems;
„« Enabling prices to better reflect their environmental value, while ensuring access to basic goods and services.
„« Regulating the Market.
„« Addressing the link between livelihoods and living conditions of rural communities and the environment.
„« Addressing Unsustainable Consumption Patterns and the link to Environment, Poverty and Equity.
The Green Economy: Does It Include You?
It is us and our choices that will determine whether the Green Economy will get off the ground. The Green Economy is people deciding to walk rather than to drive a fuel-efficient car. It is business owners choosing to fill their inventories from sustainable sources and manufacturers choosing to dispose of their waste products responsibly. It is politicians making the hard choices that favor the long term interests of future generations. The Green Economy can
be rich and full; and delicious and fun, as long as we remember that we are, all of us, traveling on a great big Spaceship Earth that is subject to laws of nature that must be respected and obeyed. Let¡¦s preserve our planet as a safe and comfortable place for future generations to live!
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MY CoUrAgE

It takes strength to be firm and it takes courage to be gentle.

It takes strength to conquer and it takes courage to surrender.

It takes strength to be certain and it takes courage to have doubt.

It takes strength to fit in and it takes courage to stand out.

It takes strength to feel a friend's pain and it takes courage to feel your own pain.

It takes strength to endure abuse and it takes courage to stop it.

It takes strength to stand alone and it takes courage to lean on another.

It takes strength to love and it takes courage to be loved.

It takes strength to survive and it takes courage to live.