Knowledge Update
Issue 2014-7                                                                                   September 11, 2014
Reminder GGKP call for abstracts - Deadline Monday September 15, 2014  
The Green Growth Knowledge Platform (GGKP) is calling for abstracts for it's Third Annual Conference on the theme of "Fiscal Policies and the Green Economy Transition: Generating Knowledge - Creating Impact", to be held at the University of Venice, 29-30 January 2015. The GGKP is currently accepting abstracts on policy-relevant research findings on fiscal instruments and green economy. The deadline to submit is 15 September 2014; selected abstracts will be invited for presentation at the conference. Among the papers presented, the conference will recognize the best young-researcher paper and best overall paper. A selection of the best papers will be published. Travel funding is available to support a limited number of developing country presenters. Detailed information on abstract submission, registration for the conference and other information can be found here.
About GGKP
The Green Growth Knowledge Platform (GGKP) is a global network of international organizations and experts that identifies and addresses major knowledge gaps in green growth theory and practice. By encouraging widespread collaboration and world-class research, the GGKP offers practitioners and policymakers the policy guidance, good practices, tools, and data necessary to support the transition to a green economy.
  
Upcoming Events

Academy on the Green Economy

PAGE
6-17 October 2014
Turin, Italy

Eco-Cities of the Mediterranean
Ministry of Environment of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
18-20 October
Dead Sea, Jordan

Global Green Growth Forum 
3GF
20-21 October 2014
Copenhagen, Denmark 

Asia LEDS Forum
11-13 November 2014
Yogyakarta, Indonesia

13-14 November
Paris, France
Contact Info
www.greengrowthknowledge.org
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Latest Research
PAGE toolkit provides practical guidance on transitioning to a green economy

UNEP has released three new reports to guide countries interested in advancing their national green economy transition. Produced under the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), the "Green Economy Toolkit for Policymakers" reports provide practical guidance on how to formulate and assess policies, measure progress and model future effects of a green economy transition. 

 
The shift towards sustainable urbanization in China
Published by the World Bank and the Development Research Center of China's State Council, the report "Urban China: Toward Efficient, Inclusive, and Sustainable Urbanization" outlines how China's urbanization can become more efficient, inclusive, and sustainable. The report proposes a number of areas for reform and emphasizes the need for strong support for policy reform from both government and markets. 
The risks and opportunities of stranded assets 
The emergence of carbon pricing and concerns about the lock-in of carbon-intensive technologies has helped bring forward the issue of stranded assets as a sustainability concern. The report "China's Financial Markets: The Risks and Opportunities of Stranded Assets" by the University of Oxford's Stranded Assets Programme and the Inquiry into the Design of a Sustainable Financial System discusses opportunities to secure an optimal rate of asset stranding, avoid technological lock-ins, and ensure a gradual transition pathway.
Practical approaches to reducing disaster risk and capitalising opportunities
Part one of UNEP FI Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI) Initiative's Global Resilience Project, "Building disaster-resilient communities and economics", assesses the effectiveness of risk reduction measures and determines what factors drive success and present obstacles. Analysing over 300 data and information sources on risk reduction measures, the report identifies inconsistencies, which make it difficult to compare and presents a challenge to drawing meaningful insights on the effectiveness of each risk reduction measure. The report concludes that for data to be useful on a global scale, it must be consistent, standardised and globally accepted.
Mainstreaming climate change into public expenditure policy
The report "Climate Change Public Expenditure and Institutional Review Sourcebook" by the World Bank, provides practitioners with the tools and information needed to respond to the public expenditure policy and management challenges arising from climate change. Through a series of notes and supporting materials, the report provides practical and applicable guidance for staff of central finance agencies, development agencies, environmental agencies and other international organisations working on climate change issues.
Building a blue-green economy for Small Island Developing States
UNEP's new Global Environment Outlook for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) explores the unique characteristics of SIDS, e.g. abundance of renewable resources and cultural assets, in relation to the challenges they face, such as isolation, remoteness, climate change and natural disasters. Built on combinations of realistic outlooks, this report presents four island-centric futures: the blue-green economy; technology leapfrogging; priority to island community and culture; and reconnecting with nature, to help individual states consider policy choices that best respond to their needs. 
Making energy efficiency bankable in India 
Acknowledging that India's energy deficit cannot be addressed without a focus on energy efficiency, a new report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) outlines ten ideas for making the sector bankable. The report, "10 Big Ideas for Making Energy Efficiency Bankable in India", presents ideas which are practical, do not require large budgets and are implementable in the immediate term.
Strengthening links between development and climate finance 
The study "Financing Recovery for Resilience" by UNDP, assesses whether the financing practice of recovery efforts and the transition from crisis to sustainable development in fragile and conflict-affected states are consistent. The recommendations of this study are based on a mapping and comparative analysis of humanitarian, development and climate adaptation pooled financing mechanisms at the global and country levels. 
Measuring green growth, applications to Korea
"A New Approach to Measuring Green Growth: Application to the OECD and Korea", recently published in Futures (Elsevier), aims to provide a tool for measuring the current status of green growth and to highlight its implications for policy and practice. Using indicators based on the OECD green growth framework, the study monitors and assesses the current status of green growth across 30 countries. Particular focus is placed on South Korea, reviewing major trends and outlining the effects of the country's green growth policies. 
Other News
OECD Green Growth Newsletter
The OECD Green Growth Newsletter keeps stakeholders informed about the OECD's Green Growth activities. The latest issue focuses on the OECD's upcoming "Green Growth and Sustainable Development Forum" which will be held in Paris, France, 13-14 Novembr 2014. To read the latest OECD Green Growth Newsletter, visit www.oecd.org/greengrowth/oecdgreengrowthnewsletter.htm