FROZEN HEAT | Volume 2

4.1 INTRODUCTION

4.1.1 The drivers

2010a). In its simplest expression, a green economy relies on low- to no-carbon energy sources and is resource-efficient and socially inclusive. In such an economy, growth in both income and employment is driven by public and private investments that reduce or eliminate undesirable carbon emissions and pollution, enhance energy and resource efficiency, and prevent the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Currently, most of our economic activity and growth relies heav- ily on carbon-intense energy sources and does not take into ac- count their negative side effects on environmental quality. While fossil fuels will remain part of the world’s energy system for some time, changing the balance of fuels within the mix could reduce pressure on the global climate system and the world’s ecosystems. Since natural gas, of all conventional fossil fuels,

For most of modern history, access to inexpensive and reli- able energy has been central to economic development and social progress. However, the world is increasingly charac- terized by unsustainable economic growth, resource scarcity, and climate change that is driven by fossil fuel use. In these circumstances, many policy-makers have recognized the need to develop strategies to adapt the global energy mix to meet long-term social and ecological sustainability goals – part of what is called a green economy. UNEP defines a green economy as one that results in “im- proved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities” (UNEP

Photo: Lawrence Hislop, GRID-Arendal

FROZEN HEAT 84