New Global Initiative Launches at COP21 to Boost Green Growth Financing

PARIS, Dec. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of a global effort to rapidly accelerate the financing of green growth projects in emerging economies, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), an intergovernmental organization that supports strong, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth in developing countries, announced today the launch of the Inclusive Green Growth Partnership, a new collaboration with top multilateral development banks and United Nations regional economic and social commissions.

The Inclusive Green Growth Partnership, announced at the 21^st Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), will leverage GGGI's technical expertise to assist multilateral development banks and funds in identifying green growth opportunities and investments that promote inclusiveness, shared prosperity and equitable growth that creates employment and raises the income of the world's poorest.

Through the partnership, GGGI will also enhance opportunities for global green investment and financing by working closely with emerging economies and least developed countries to build capacity to develop green capital projects, support efforts to promote readiness for climate finance, and prepare green investment projects that attract private capital.

"Building the critical financial and technical capacity of developing and least developed countries has long been a challenge in the climate action process, and it is the key issue that this Inclusive Green Growth Partnership seeks to address," said Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President of the Assembly of the Global Green Growth Institute and former President of the Republic of Indonesia.

"Developing countries across the world rely on funding from multilateral development institutions to pursue their ambitions of robust and inclusive economic growth with minimal impact on the environment," said Yvo de Boer, Director-General of GGGI and former Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC. "This partnership will raise the technical capacities of these emerging economies, reduce the barriers for critical green investment and improve the lives of millions of the world's most marginalized people."

In addition to GGGI, the founding members in the Inclusive Green Growth Partnership include the following:

Multilateral Development Banks/Funds

• Asian Development Bank (ADB)
• African Development Bank (AfDB)
• Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)

United Nations Regional Economic and Social Commissions

• United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
• United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
• United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
• United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)

"Green growth frameworks need to adapt to the world after the adoption of the SDGs and COP21. By exploiting synergies and integrating economic growth, social protection and climate targets under the INDCs and climate adaptation, national green growth policy will have greater promise to maximize its outcomes for climate sustainability and people's welfare," said the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Dr. Shamshad Akhtar.

With GGGI's strength in understanding the green growth priorities of countries, finance issues, and the bankability of projects by multilateral development banks and other financial institutions, combined with the strength of the UN commissions to collaborate on policy dialogue, the Partnership will also seek to address policy barriers to green growth and promote social inclusion at the country level, while significantly increasing the impact of green projects—such as green cities, water, energy, and land use—in a complementary and coordinated way.

"Today, more than ever, we are aware that environmental governance is not a luxury, but a required condition for development and planetary survival. It's not just a question of intergenerational equity, but of changing the development paradigm to one that is guided by the integrated priorities of poverty eradication and the reduction of inequality and of sustainable development. This transformation of the relationship between economic and social development and the environment can no longer wait," said Mr. Joseluis Samaniego, Director of the Sustainable Development and Human Settlements Division of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America.

The Inclusive Green Growth Partnership was unveiled at a high-level launch event today in Paris that included a signing ceremony, two high-level panels, and a reception and dinner for the partners. The high-level panel discussions focused on new finance solutions to support developing countries to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals and Intended National Determined Contributions, as well as to overcome policy challenges to mainstream green growth in developing and least developed countries.

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About the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)

Based in Seoul, GGGI is an intergovernmental organization founded to support and promote a model of economic growth known as "green growth", which targets key aspects of economic performance such a poverty reduction, job creation, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability. The organization partners with countries and multilateral institutions to help build economies that grow strongly and are more efficient and sustainable in the use of natural resources, less carbon intensive, and more resilient to climate change.

GGGI works with countries around the world, building their capacity and working collaboratively on green growth policies that can impact the lives of millions, and has representation in a number of partner countries, including:

Member Countries: Australia, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ethiopia, Fiji, Guyana, Indonesia, Jordan, Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Mongolia, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Senegal, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Vietnam

Operations: Cambodia, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Thailand, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Vietnam

To learn more about GGGI, see http://www.gggi.org and visit us on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE Global Green Growth Institute

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http://www.gggi.org