Green Economy Indicators are key evidence-based instruments which facilitate the evaluation of Green Economy policies by: (a) identifying priority issues; (b) formulating and assessing Green Economy policy options; and (c) evaluating the performance of policy implementation.
UN Environment supports countries in the monitoring of their progress towards an Inclusive Green Economy through the evaluation of different Green Economy policy and investment options. Under the auspices of PAGE, it has produced two main knowledge products to guide partner countries in this process.
The Green Economy Indicator Guidance Manual provides guidance to countries on the use of Indicators to evaluate policy options at different stages of the policymaking process. Governments are encouraged to follow those options that are likely to provide “multiple dividends” across the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainable development. Information on the application of Green Economy Indicators in Ghana, Mauritius, and Uruguay is available here.
The Green Economy Progress (GEP) Measurement Framework employs Green Economy Indicators to enable countries to monitor their own overall progress towards achieving development priorities and key Sustainable Development Goals. The Framework also allows for cross-country comparison on Green Economy progress, serving to introduce greater levels of transparency to green policymaking. Information on the Green Economy Progress (GEP) Measurement Framework’s application in Jiangsu Province and Fujian Province, China is available here.
As part of the effort to periodically upgrade the GEP Measurement Framework, a feasibility study has been conducted on the strengthening of the concepts of environmental footprints and planetary boundaries. The study recommends that the environment footprint indicators for greenhouse gases, biodiversity and water be incorporated.
Switzerland’s Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) is supporting the adoption of this recommendation. This incorporation will also promote greater integration between this tool and UNEP’s Sustainable Consumption Hotspot Analysis Tool (SCP-HAT) developed by the Life Cycle Initiative. The SCP-HAT provides the country data on these environmental footprints that will be used by the GEP Measurement Framework. The article on environmental footprint-related upgrades to the GEPMF, is available here
UN Environment also works to strengthen the institutional and individual capacities of local and national institutions to employ Green Economy Indicators in PAGE partner countries. Through its training on Indicators for Green Economy Policymaking, UN Environment develops the in-country capacity of policymakers and analysts to apply Indicator concepts throughout the entire policymaking process.
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