Environmental sustainability, climate change and the green economy
The link between climate change, economical scarcity and poverty is straightforward. The world’s poor are especially prone to natural disasters given the fact that in many cases their livelihoods are directly dependent on natural resources. Moving towards a green economy is expected to improve the living conditions of the poor in the long run. By securing livelihoods and promoting sustainable jobs, the green economy can eradicate poverty and reduce vulnerability across a range of sectors (eg. fishery, agriculture, forestry).
Social protection can enhance resilience of people and protect them from the negative impacts of climate change and can facilitate transitions to more sustainable economies.
Photo credit: “Sustainability” by Kyle MacKenzie (CCBY 2.0 via Flickr).
Mapping Just Transition(s) to a Low-Carbon World
Just Transition—the idea that justice and equity must form an integral part of the transition towards a low-carbon world—is increasingly being mobilized both to counter the idea that protecting the environment and protecting jobs are incompatible, and to broaden the debate to justice-related issues such as the kinds of jobs and societies we envision for […]
Human Rights, Sustainable Development and Climate Policies: Connecting the Dots
This Toolbox aims to help civil society promote an integrated and coherent human rights-based approach to sustainable development, poverty eradication and environmental justice by: Highlighting the importance of rights-based monitoring of sustainable development/climate change policies and how violations of human rights can harm or hinder the implementation of SDGs and make people more vulnerable to […]
Energy, migration and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Key messages Migration can contribute to improving access to reliable, affordable modern energy services (SDG target 7.1) through higher incomes for migrants and the sending of remittances. The informal or irregular status of many migrants is a barrier to universal access to modern energy services. Migrants in informal settlements and displaced people often experience a […]
The Aarhus Convention: an implementation guide
The Aarhus Convention, which is open for global accession, offers powerful twin protections for the environment and human rights. It provides an effective model for ensuring public input in defining and implementing green economy programmes, in choosing the most appropriate road maps to sustainability and for increasing transparency and Government accountability, thereby putting Principle 10 […]
The Future of Work: A Literature Review
An enormous amount of literature has emerged over the last few years in the context of the “future of work”. Academics, think tanks and policy makers have fuelled rich discussions about how the future of work might look and how we can shape it. Indeed, labour markets in developing and developed countries are likely to […]
World Employment Social Outlook: Greening with Jobs (2018)
While climate change mitigation measures may cause short-term job losses, the report shows that a just transition to a more sustainable economy offers much potential for job creation and the promotion of decent work. The report also looks at key issues linked with the path to a greener economy, including macroeconomic and environmental policy, public […]