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Conceptualising Green Economies: Origins, Evolution and Imperatives

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Decent Work and Economic Growth

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals ((ENUNSDG))

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Synonyms

Circular economy; Dematerialized economy; Green growth

Definition

Increasing greenhouse gas emissions combined with the destruction and degradation of ecosystems have dramatically increased the likelihood of human exposure to major climatic shifts while simultaneously reducing our resilience and fuelling conflicts over dwindling natural resources. The concept of Green Economy (GE) has emerged in this context, a response to the evolving ecological, social, and economic crises that we are confronted with today. The Green Economy promises to stimulate economic recovery through more environmentally friendly production processes, thereby achieving economic growth, promoting positive social outcomes, and reducing environmental impacts simultaneously. Under mainstream GE thinking, past perceptions of environmental protection as in conflict with economic activity have given way to the idea that the environment can be a positive economic force, offering great social, economic, and...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology and Development Studies, University of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

    Hali Healy

Authors
  1. Hali Healy
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Correspondence to Hali Healy .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. FTZ-ALS, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences FTZ-ALS, Hamburg, Germany

    Walter Leal Filho

  2. Ctr Neurosci & Cell Biology, 1 Floor, Univ Coimbra, Edf Fac Medicina, Coimbra, Portugal

    Anabela Marisa Azul

  3. Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Passo Fundo University Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Passo Fundo, Brazil

    Luciana Brandli

  4. Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Pinar Gökcin Özuyar

  5. International Centre for Thriving, University of Chester, Chester, UK

    Tony Wall

Section Editor information

  1. School of Sustainability Arizona State University, Tempe, USA

    Rimjhim M Aggarwal

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Healy, H. (2019). Conceptualising Green Economies: Origins, Evolution and Imperatives. In: Leal Filho, W., Azul, A., Brandli, L., Özuyar, P., Wall, T. (eds) Decent Work and Economic Growth. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71058-7_33-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71058-7_33-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-71058-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-71058-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Earth and Environm. ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences

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