Transcript Slide 1

Building a Green Economy
The Race for International Innovation
and Competitiveness
Christopher Flavin
Worldwatch Institute
Seoul Forum 2010
Seoul, Korea
Today’s economy is profoundly out of
balance with the world’s ecological
resource base.
The economic model pioneered by
today’s industrial countries is not
viable for the world as a whole
The transition to a sustainable
global economy is the great
economic challenge of the
coming decades.
It will shape the future of the
next generation.
Solving environmental problems will
entail substantial costs for some of
today’s industries.
But it will also create thousands of new
companies and millions of jobs, laying
the foundation for a green economic
transformation.
Successful green economies will
require visionary systems thinking
and smart, effective government
regulations & economic incentives.
At stake are international economic
competitiveness—and the health
of the planet on which the economy
depends.
Energy & Resource Productivity
 Key to a Sustainable Global Economy
 Potential for Factor Five Increase by
2050—Will Become the New
Benchmark for Global Economic
Success
Investment in Renewable Energy
2004-2008
Billion Dollars ($USD)
140
120
100
80
60
Other
40
Solar
20
Wind
0
2004
Source: NEF 2009
2005
2006
2007
2008
Average Energy Growth Rates by Source:
2004-2009
60%
55%
50%
Growth Rate
40%
30%
27%
23%
20%
10%
3.2%
2.9%
1.8%
0.4%
-0.5%
Oil
Nuclear
0%
-10%
Solar
Source: Worldwatch, BP.
Wind
Biofuels
Coal
Hydro
Natural
Gas
Global Electricity from Renewables
2002-2008
Renewable power generation additions as
share of global power generation additions
Renewable generation as %
of global power generation
Source: NEF 2009
The Race for Green Jobs
 Each $1 million invested in energy efficiency creates
21.5 new jobs versus 11.5 for gas power generation.
 Renewable energy has already created 3 million new
jobs—most of them in the past five years.
 Solar electricity creates 7 -11 times more jobs per
megawatt hour than coal or gas.
 Retrofitting Europe's residential buildings to cut
emissions 75% would create 2.6 million jobs by 2030.
Job Growth in Renewable Energy: Germany
Recycling / Scrap-based Production
Employment Estimates
All Recycling
China
United States
Brazil
Aluminum Can Collecting
Brazil
170,000
Electronics Recycling
China
700,000
Steel Scrap Production
United States
World
30,000
[225,000]
Japan
Western
Europe
United States
12,700
>10,000
6,100
Aluminum Scrap Production
10,000,000
1,100,000
500,000
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Green Jobs in Renewable Energy,
Present and Future
• 2.3 million people are currently employed in the renewable energy sector globally.
• Projected investments of $630 billion by 2030 would translate into at least 20
million additional jobs.
SOURCE: UNEP/ILO Green Jobs Report
Germany
 World leader in installed renewable capacity
 Unilateral reductions of carbon emissions of
36% below 1990 levels by 2020
 Highly effective feed-in tariff system has
boosted renewable energy industry – earned
over €16 billion in 2005
Renewable Electricity in Germany
1990 - 2007
Source: BMU 2008
Spain
 Currently generates one-quarter of electricity
from renewable sources
 Goal to generate 40% of electricity from
carbon-free sources by 2020
 Feed-in tariffs and low-interest loans have
boosted renewable energy industry
California
 Goal to reduce GHG emissions to 1990 levels
by 2020
 $75 million green jobs training program to
train over 20,000 skilled clear energy
workers
 California Green Corps – place at risk young
adults in green jobs
Electricity Use Per Capita 1960-2007
Green Provisions of Obama
Stimulus in United States
 The $787 billion American Recovery & Reinvestment
Act of 2009 includes more than $71 billion for clean
energy—more than tripling spending :
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$4.5 billion for upgrading energy efficiency in government buildings
$500 million for job training in energy efficiency and renewables
$2.5 billion for research on energy efficiency and renewable energy
$9.3 billion for investments in rail transportation
$5 billion for home weatherization for low income families
 The stimulus also includes $20 billion in clean energy
tax incentives.
China
 $35 billion in clean energy investment in 2009
 Goal to reduce carbon intensity of the economy by 40-
45% by 2050
 World’s largest producer of wind turbines and solar
panels
 8% electricity from wind, solar, biomass by 2020
Solar PV Production by Country/Region
2000-2008
Source: Maycock, Prometheus Institute, CREIA, Bradford.
Korea is a late comer to the green
economy
Its economic miracle has relied
heavily on energy and resourceintensive manufacturing
But Korea’s 97% dependence on
imported energy suggest that a
new model is needed.
The Low-Carbon, Green-Growth
Strategy launched by President
Lee Myung-Bak could make
Korea a global leader.
Korea Green Growth Strategy

$59 billion “Green New Deal Package”
78% of stimulus spending—highest in world
 Renewable Electricity Standard and Feed-In Tarrif
are being introduced
 Tough new energy efficiency standards for
industry, transportation, and buildings
 Pledge to cut GHG emissions 30% below BAU by
2020
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