General Assembly - UN Documents

A/CONF.216/PC/7
and consumption systems that are compatible with sustainable development, through
transitions sensitive to the developmental needs of each country. Poverty eradication
and enhancement of the livelihoods of the most vulnerable deserve priority in
measures promoting a green economy transition.
43. The implications of a green economy for poverty eradication and livelihoods
can be analysed at different levels. At a first level, shifts in the average growth rates
of individual economies could have implications for the ability of these economies
to reduce poverty and improve social outcomes. At a second level, changes in the
structure of national economies could affect employment opportunities and
requirements, with different national capacities to deal with any adverse impacts. At
a third level, specific green economy policies could, through the creation of
sustainable livelihoods, additional jobs and other effects, increase the capacity of
countries to translate growth into poverty reduction and other beneficial social
outcomes.
Possible social effects of shifts in growth rates
44. A shift to a green economy might imply lower average growth for some
countries or groups of countries, with the risk that poverty outcomes will worsen. To
avoid this, the poverty reduction associated with a given growth rate would need to
increase. Distributive policies could also help to ameliorate the adverse effects of
slower growth on the poor. Ideally, if economies are sufficiently flexible, they
would shift towards new growth drivers with strong poverty-reducing effects.
45. In addition to growth, the differences observed in the successes of individual
countries in reducing poverty seem to be largely linked to social policies and
institutional factors such as the distribution of productive assets. These can have
long-term effects. For example, investments in basic education have proven to
generate a poverty-alleviation and growth dividend many years after the initial
investments are made.
46. There are structural differences among countries, even at similar levels of
income, that affect the scope for national redistributive policies, including the shape
of the national income distribution and the institutional and administrative capacity
to collect taxes and make equity-enhancing income transfers.
47. Countries also vary in the way the poor are affected by changes in prices that
might result from policies aimed at “getting prices right”. The prices of food
commodities have a particular importance for food security and poverty. If green
economy policies for agriculture were to result even transitionally in higher food
prices, this would be of particular concern to those low-income households and
countries that are net food buyers.
48. At the level of national economies, the quantitative relationships between
growth and poverty reduction exhibit a broad range of variation. There clearly exists
no simple, one-size-fits-all strategy for poverty reduction. Green economy strategies
that work best will be adapted to national contexts and yield a high income elasticity
of poverty reduction.
Possible poverty effects of structural changes
49. Much discussion about the potential for green job creation was heard in
relation to the green stimulus packages of Governments following the financial
10-70657
11