Green Economy and Sustainable Development: Bringing Back the Social Dimension - UNRISD Conference

Please note: The presentations, papers, agenda and the conference flyer can be downloaded using the links at the bottom of this page. A conference summary will be available soon.

This UNRISD Conference created a forum for developing a conceptual and policy framework that will position social dimensions at the centre of green economy and sustainable development. Policy reports and other publications will inform the UNCSD 2012 (Rio+20) preparatory process and subsequent policy discussions. The conference critically examined the following interrelated themes:

Competing Paradigms
How is the notion of green economy itself, and the consideration of social dimensions, being framed, and with what effects in terms of influencing policy agendas and shaping development models?

The Challenge of Policy Coherence
What role can social policy, in association with economic and environmental policy, play in minimizing costs, maximizing benefits and building resilience, especially for vulnerable groups? How does the green economy agenda connect with other sustainable development objectives?

Agency, Interests and Coalitions
What forms of participation, contestation, coalitions, alliances and compromises are emerging—or might need to emerge—to promote green economy approaches that contribute to sustainable development and poverty eradication?

Community Values, Institutions and Dynamics
How is green economy perceived and interpreted locally? How do local level contexts and dynamics affect – and how are they affected by – external interventions?

The Social Construction of Markets
How do societal norms and pressures, as well as public and private regulation and governance, shape market relations and business behaviour associated with green economy and sustainable development?

Agriculture and Rural Development
What are the consequences of the restructuring of food production, finance, energy and consumption patterns associated with green economy for employment, livelihood security and ecological sustainability in rural areas?

In addition to researchers from across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America and Oceania, speakers included representatives of CICERO, Friends of the Earth International, IFAD, ILO, Oxfam International, The South Centre, UNCTAD, UNEP, UNESCO, UNRISD, WHO and the World Bank. Side events included an UNRISD Book Fair, the art exhibit "In the Bag: The Art and Politics of the Reusable Bag Movement", and a social event in association with Green Drinks-Geneva.

For more information and associated content, please go here.

Agenda and Conference Booklet
Agenda for the Conference on Green Economy and Sustainable Development
Conference Booklet for the Conference on Green Economy and Sustainable Development

Conference papers
Session 1: Competing Paradigms
1-1. Bob Jessop Paper PowerPoint Presentation
1-2. Kathleen McAfee Paper PowerPoint Presentation
1-3. Pascal van Griethuysen Paper PowerPoint Presentation
1-4. Payal Banerjee and Atul Sood Paper PowerPoint Presentation

Session 2: The Challenge of Policy Coherence
2-1. Ian Gough Paper PowerPoint Presentation
2-2. Laura Rival Paper PowerPoint Presentation
2-3. Amalia Palma and Claudia Robles Paper PowerPoint Presentation
2-4. S.O.M. Awoniyi, T.T. Amos, A.O Adeola and M.M. Omole Paper PowerPoint Presentation
2-5. Kathrin Bimesdoerfer, Carola Kantz and J.R. Siegel Paper PowerPoint Presentation

Session 3: Agency, Interests and Coalitions
3-1. Rocío Hiraldo López-Alonso and Thomas Tanner Paper PowerPoint Presentation
3-2. Tadzio Mueller and Nicola Bullard Paper PowerPoint Presentation
3-3. Danielle Resnick, Finn Tarp and James Thurlow Paper PowerPoint Presentation
3-4. Hironobu Sano Paper PowerPoint Presentation

Session 4: Community Values, Institutions and Dynamics
4-1. Adnan A. Hezri and Rospidah Ghazali Paper PowerPoint Presentation
4-2. Amy Merritt and Tristan Stubbs Paper PowerPoint Presentation
4-3. Ashok Kumbamu Paper PowerPoint Presentation
4-4. Marlyne Sahakian Paper PowerPoint Presentation

Session 5: The Social Construction of Markets
5-1. Samuel McGlennon Paper PowerPoint Presentation
5-2. Adam Bumpus Paper PowerPoint Presentation
5-3. Marc Brightman Paper PowerPoint Presentation
5-4. Michael Winer, Helen Murphy and Harold Ludwick Paper PowerPoint Presentation

Session on UN Perspectives on the Social Dimensions of the Green Economy
1-1. Ana Belen Sanchez PowerPoint Presentation
1-2. Elena Villalobos Prats PowerPoint Presentation

Session 6: Agriculture and Rural Development
6-1. Diana Alarcón and Christina Bodouroglou Paper PowerPoint Presentation
6-2. Witchuda Srang-iam Paper PowerPoint Presentation
6-3. Agnes Musyoki Paper PowerPoint Presentation
6-4. Mairon G. Bastos Lima Paper PowerPoint Presentation