Does Green Growth Solve Sustainability Challenges?

This article discusses the concept of green growth and its role in solving sustainability challenges. It explores the importance of sustainable development, the challenges it faces, and the objectives of sustainability development. The article also highlights the progress made so far and the barriers to achieving sustainable development objectives. Additionally, it examines the relationship between economic growth and sustainability development.

Sustainability Development
Does green growth solve
sustainability challenge?
Student Name

Sustainability development 1
Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................2
About Green growth.......................................................................................................3
Importance of sustainable development in today’s environment...................................4
Challenges of sustainable development in today’s environment...................................5
Objectives of sustainability development......................................................................5
Progress made so far......................................................................................................6
Barriers to achieve sustainable development objectives:...............................................6
Economic growth and sustainability development........................................................7
China’s economic slowdown leads to sustainable growth.............................................9
Yes! Green growth solves sustainability challenges....................................................10

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Introduction
Sustainability growth is that development that encounters the needs of the present without
cooperating the ability of forthcoming generation to meet their own requirements. The
conception of sustainable development highlights about its core approach to development that
looks competing and need beside an awareness of the environmentally friendly, societal and
economic limitation, which we all face as a society. This all highlights that as long as we
pursue unsustainable development, the more frequent we will severe its consequences
(Elliott, 2012).
Sustainable development delivers a method to make the better choices on the issue related to
the economic development that affects all the lives. To make it better we all have to play
certain part like taking small actions, take them collectively and add them up for the real
modification. However to attain sustainability in United Kingdom, the administration needs
to take the lead. The SDC’S work helps in making this occur, and they do it through a
combination of examination, achieving and building organizational volume for sustainability
development (United nation development programmes, 2019).
While moving ahead towards the sustainable development one has to make efforts in
accordance with the national, local and international cooperation for which they carry out the
best practices in order to motivate changes and the innovation to be made. One of the best
practices in order to be flexible and reversible is the adoption of green growth. Numerous
developing needs, which are need to be changed in order to move towards the sustainable
development (United Nation, 2018). Along with this, there are numerous challenges too such
as supply risk; major impact over climate, technology affected all this lead to the excessive
utilization of economic and financial stabilities. In the following, an effort is made to discuss
the concept of sustainability development, strategies adopted by the different countries in
order to understand their plans for sustainability development. Moreover, this entire
assignment is also majorly focusing on the green growth, which is very much helpful in
solving sustainability challenges (Elliott, 2012).

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About Green growth
(Source: Jänicke, 2012)
In earlier times, the world continued facing the two most challenge one was expanding
economic opportunities for growing global population. In addition, another challenge was to
address the environmental pressure, which undermines the ability to seize these opportunities.
Green growth in basic terms helps in fostering economic growth and development (The
World Bank, 2012). It is not at all a replacement for sustainable expansion; rather it is
tangible and elastic approach for achieving concrete, measurable progress across its financial
and environmental supports. The major focus of green growth policies is to ensure that the
regular assets which delivers their full economic prospective on the sustainable basis
(Jänicke, 2012).
Green growth plays an integral part, which fosters strong, more sustainable and inclusive
growth. Other than this, it also works for enhancing productivity by generating greater
competence in the use of natural means, works over reducing wastage and energy
consumption. They are working more over innovations and value creations and assigning
resources to the highest value usage. Moreover, they are opening up with the new markets by
demanding for green goods, facilities and technologies for example, Godrej Company plays a
major part of it. Also it aim is to reduce risk of negative shocks towards growth (Sinclair,
2016).
In recent times certain strategies that need to be tailored; likewise, their major focus is on
GDP as the main amount of economic advancement overlooks the involvement of usual

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assets towards wealth, fitness and wellbeing. Moreover, they are also working over boosting
investors’ confidence through their greater predictability (Antal, and Van Den Bergh, 2016).
Importance of sustainable development in today’s environment
(Source: Doppelt, 2017)
Sustainable development is helpful in controlling the climate change in which they
mandatory lower down the use of fossil fuels. Moreover, there is rise in population, which
requires more of energy and put a greater strain on the world climate.
Another aspect that is needed to be covered is enabling access to affordable and clean energy.
As energy play an important role in mitigating poverty through advancement in
industrialization, education, water supply, and fighting climate change (Antal, and Van Den
Bergh, 2016). Other than this, it also helps in constructing up strong substructure, supporting
inclusive and sustainable industrialization and lastly incubating innovation. This is all
because , innovation improves the technological abilities of the industrial sectors and
activates the growth of innovative skills (Doppelt, 2017).

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Challenges of sustainable development in today’s environment
(Source: Sen, 2013)
Other than the importance of sustainable development there are certain constraints related to
it, which are need to be considered likewise, the main goal of sustainable development is to
get rid of social inequalities, waste management and environmental responsibility. Moreover,
instability is also one of the biggest challenges such as conflicts between the nations.
Governance, such as political issues, which transforms development, programmes into
sustainable long term practices. Moreover, there is lack of financial resources to carry out set
plans for the sustainable development. Corruption one of the major issues that is linked to the
lack or reduction of sustainable development.
Objectives of sustainability development
Economic system: The main objective related to the sustainability development in context of
economic highlights about the maximum amount of goods and services production, an
optimum and an efficient use of mineral resources, adaption of the technologies mineral
resources and reprocessing products.
Social system: in this the main objective of sustainability development in regards to the
social system highlights about the equitable distribution allocation of the good and services in
between the local, national and global. There should be an adequate training should be

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provided to all the members of the society. Moreover, maintaining cultural diversity to
support the faster adaption of the chances and innovation (Sen, 2013).
Ecological system: Main aim in sustainability development is to maintain biodiversity.
Moreover, their objective also highlights about the compliance mechanism of self- regulation
and the usual cycle times in the biosphere.
Progress made so far
The sustainable development goals reports highlights that there is fast fluctuating climate,
conflict, disparity, poverty, hunger and rapid urbanization in order to achieve sustainable
development goals. The report also highlights that conflict and climate change are the major
contribution factors which helps in leading in growing as well as curtailing progress towards
the universal access to basic water and sanitation services (Vigeoeiris, 2017). Other than this,
in recent publication also highlights that UNESCAP has also emphasised on maintaining
sustainable economic progress in order to foster low carbon, socially inclusive development.
Moreover, OCED is also fostering economic growth and development, while ensuring that
natural assets continue to provide resources and environmental services on which entire
wellbeing relies on. Even World Bank relied over maintaining sustainability by making an
effective use of natural resources, works over reducing pollution and environmental effects.
Lastly, GGGI also adopted green growth strategy in their new revolutionary development
pattern that helps in sustaining economic growth while at the same time works over
maintaining and ensuring climate and ecological sustainability. It also focuses on root cause
of the challenges while ensuing the creation of the necessary channels for resource
distribution (Cobbinah, Erdiaw-Kwasie, and Amoateng, 2015).
Barriers to achieve sustainable development objectives:
Economic barriers: In this, the main barrier is related to the ruling development model,
which tends to emphasis on economic growth rather than individuals right or prosperity. In
order to overcome such barriers they need to shift the worldview from handling the
environment as a part of economy as economy as a part of environment. Other than this, in
financial terms, it has been shown in some situations that small and medium organizations
lack the financial assets to develop and maintain sustainability in the organizations. Therefore
the solution for the same highlights that, there are also indirect costs such as human and

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capital resource that organizations need to devote the entire time in order to make
environmental sustainability (Adetunji, Price, Fleming, and Kemp, 2016).
Innovation barrier: In this type of barrier there is lack if innovation. In this regard, there
should be close connection in between the research institutes and economy, which would help
in overcoming the issues that in concern to the knowledge transfer and to be applied in real
life. This barrier also highlights that companies can apply more to sustainable practices not
only for themselves but also considering the entire society benefits (Kanie, and Biermann,
2017).
Social barriers: Major barrier in context of social aspect is population growth, which are
paired with unsustainable consumption and production patterns. Moreover, the various
environmental issues among political and the civil society and government. There is also lack
of adequate incentives for the private sector to pursue sustainability development. But on the
other hand it has be seen that there are some of the managers of SME may have a positive
attitude towards sustainable business, as other people might not. Nowadays, there is much
scope to adopt the green practices, as well as attitudes towards sustainable practices, depend
on the sector in which the organisation work.
Political barriers: In this concern, there is an inadequate economic, social and
environmental method for the policies, plans and procedures, which generates hindrance in
the execution of sustainable development. It is stated that lack of proper encouragement from
government, effective and efficient taxation policy, and provision of funding and
opportunities. In the absence of a proper effective mechanism, environmental considerations
are mostly directed by the employees and managers’ commitment towards sustainability
practices. Another difficulty is that most environmental management is developed by large
organizations, without taking into consideration the small and medium sector. They should
make a considerable effort to enhance the management of the non-renewable streams.
Institutional barriers: In this context, there a lack of influential experiences to control and
generate all the mechanism of the democratic system that has been opposing and frustrating
the sustainable development in many of the developing countries. . The administrative burden
often demands time resources and an unaffordable financial resource reflects an important
issue initiated by the United Nations Commission. It has been stated that it frequently
depends on the external experts in order to meet the obligation, which entails the extra cost

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and substantial for small business. It possibly harms the business and competitiveness in the
organization (Adetunji, Price, Fleming, and Kemp, 2016).
Economic growth and sustainability development
Economic growth in basic terms highlights about the rate of increase in real or gross domestic
product. In another terms, economic growth is considered as development, modernisation,
and industrialization. Moreover, it highlights the increment in wealth, income, standard of
living and improved health care facilities. In addition, economic growth also protects the
environment by reserves and implementation of key policies. So in context of economic
growth there must be a balance between the three pillars in relation to bearable, viable and
equitable. Therefore, though sustainability development in turn helps in developing and
meeting short-term horizon with the long-term vision. Moreover, there are certain strategies
that are needed to be focused upon in order to gain benefits for self as well as for the society.
Likewise, the goal is to focus on universal access to energy, increase the efficiency in energy,
and increase the use of renewable energy. The energy is required at all the levels to perform
all the jobs and explores the opportunities for the individuals. Other than this, the goal is to
develop the community that emphases on safe removal and organization of wastes, goals to
reduce toxic waste, and eradicates poverty. These purposes can only be achieved by emerging
sustainable cities and societies Aarseth, et al 2017).
It is analyzed that international businesses have played a major role in achieving sustainable
development goals and private sector enterprises have immensely contributed towards it. The
global companies are focusing on developing the new programmes and the policies that help
the company in contributing towards the goal by developing sustainable innovative products
to make the sustainable production and consumption. In today’s era, all the consumers are
well aware of the sustainability goals and expectations from the companies to make an
effective contribution towards sustainable goals. It provides the opportunity to the global
companies to develop innovative products and expand their market share (Embree, 2017).
The plans of the business are aligned with the sustainability goals, which majorly focus on
eradicating poverty and improvising the health and education of the personalities. The
businesses houses make heavy investment, which effectively contribute in the society and
adopting the new methods of products that do not harm the environment (Charles Jr,
Schmidheiny, and Watts, 2017). Likewise, the various business such as google, Wal-Mart,

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solar now, the Walt Disney Company and Philips Morris international and P&G is
contributing towards sustainable business environment. Similarly, Google Company focuses
on providing education in the Asia Pacific region by providing the Google apps and lives
YouTube channel free of cost to promote education. The company has collaborated with the
government of Thailand to ensure that the technology is dispersed across the country and in
Malaysia; the corporation has developed Google apps for the scholars, parentages people and
the educators. The company also contributes in endorsing progress and decent work. Google
also helps in attaining a higher level of efficiency by providing the online facility to the SME
have to expand their business and enhance productivity by adopting such sustabiable
practices through which the company also contributes to developing innovation (Mead,
2018).
Another example related to the sustainable business is coca-cola company, which as
promoted economic development and decent effort. The company was totally focused over
the economic empowerment. They also having a target by 2030 by achieving full and creative
employment for all women and men comprising young people and persons with disability
and also generating equal pays of equivalent value (Boserup, Tan, and Toulmin, 2013). The
company also highlights that their a golden triangle in between business, government and
civil society to reach though its skills and make progress in the major areas. Moreover trhey
are also working on attaining worldwide health coverage, including the financial risk
protection, accessing the safe, effcetive, qulaity and afforadable essential medecines and
vacciations for all. In economic enpowerment concern they are also working over wonem’s
full and effective participation and providing equal opportunities to them for leadership at all
the levels so that athey can easily form decisions in political, economic as well as in public
life concern (Teh, and Corbitt, 2015).
China’s economic slowdown leads to sustainable growth
The major reality of china’s economic slowdown is due to the weakening effectiveness of
the numerous keys contributors towards the productivity progress, which drove the country
economic expansion. This is all because of stripped to the essentials. All these leads to the
reduction in quality and quantity of the labour force, there is the most effective allocation of
the resources, rapid increment and up gradation in technology, improvements and growth in
exports and lastly rise in investment capital. Over the same, time period, the one child
strategy also produced a massive demographic surplus with the rising ratio. Moreover, the net

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effects increased the productive labour force Weaver, et al 2017). Hence by seeing all this,
china has to abandon some of its deep-rooted habit and take risk on boarding some new
strategies. Whereas, china’s rapid urbanization has created a productive environment for the
isolated entrepreneurs, they need to be sustained to have better access more in investment
capital in order to face many challenges ahead (Bai, Sarkis, and Dou, 2015).
Yes! Green growth solves sustainability challenges
Although in china, sustainability is a complex problem. There were numerous issues
regarding the countries deteriorating environment and the problems from air pollution to
cancer village nearby dirty factories and lastly the devastation caused by the manmade
droughts and flood. China’s slowdown is both normal and desirable. It is normal because of
the lower benefits such as value liberalization and low value added labour, which are already
being harvested. Moreover, china has boarded on reforms aimed at rebalancing its economy
to address its own difficulties and helps in the worldwide result in order to decline climate
change. Along with this, Beijing also has promised to take actual initiatives in saving energy,
working over reducing greenhouse gas emissions and swapping over the environmental
friendly model of growth. However in order to achieve these targets the world’s second
biggest economy- china is supporting the green economy (Weick, 2016).
China has faced the poverty abolition as its primary goal while developing the green
economy. Moreover, they have also faced the reduction in total GDP because of the
environmental degradation. In order to improve the conditions they used monetary subsidies
to stimulate the consumption of energy saving products, majorly in automobiles and
household applications. They also started applying energy conserving light bulbs and LEDs.
All these “green” efforts measures aims at expanding the domestic demand, which will help
in providing stable growth of economy. All these efforts highlights about the certain
strategies, which are directed towards production and consumption of energy efficient
products, which have a greater impact over the green economy. Nevertheless, energy is the
vital to the green economy and as a new economic control; china reinforces the entire
industrial project of marketplace socialism (Chow, 2015).
China’s new role of finance for expansion projects and market based climate adaption
methods in developing countries in the dainty of green economy. Inside china and many other
developing countries, the calculation between the growth strategies and environmental

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protection and social justice leftovers the huge political and developmental encounter. This
entire system of governance mechanism helps in decision-making, reserve allocation and
execution of development missions, which majorly works for maintaining the sustainable
environment (Yi, and Liu, 2015).
All this economic constraints suggest that the China economy, which is needs to be,
rebalanced its shares of left exports, investments and consumption in GDP and do not allow
the overdependence on investment and exports. Moreover, they still need to work over the
challenge of poverty eradications, need to build people’s inner strength in response to the
change climate and lastly works on generating sustainable livelihoods (Chow, 2015).
Singapore is also one of the countries, which adopts the green growth as their economic
model. This also outlined that how these technological solutions help them in transformation.
Green growth in this concern worked in reduction of climate risk. Singapore promoted the
production, which was made by the use of low carbon technologies, and solution was the
adoption of renewable energy. Their focus was on solutions that keep them compact,
coordinated and connected. All these sustainability challenges provided them many
opportunities. Moreover, they have also emphasised those companies who develops low
carbon technologies, such as solar, wind and hydrogen and adopting low carbon pricing.
They also states that green economy is not about growth, it is about creating better world
(Hwang, Zhao, See, and Zhong, 2015).
South Africa has also adopted the concept of green growth in which they highlighted in
promising to have friendly relation with the goals of low carbon and maintaining sustainable
expansion with the other valued outcomes, which majorly focuses on job creation, poverty
reduction, and maintaining economic progress. All this hand in hand generates the win- win
solutions and solving the rising threat of the climate change. In the case regarding southern
Africa, certain green growth strategies, which they have adopted, were, they majorly focuses
on reducing the carbon emissions. The main provision in Africa highlights about their food,
electricity and fuel. In order to achieve all this they have to be relied on exploiting their
competitive advantage in order to benefit poor, implementation of green growth reforms
generates the win –win situation for southern Africa, which highlights about maintaining
sustainability (Abrahams, 2018).

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Conclusion
From the entire about discussion about the sustainability and green growth, adaption leads in
maintaining and protecting the future for the economy and will make a better future for future
generations. In all, certain strategies that were adopted by certain businesses houses as well as
countries likewise, their major focus is on GDP as the main measure of economic
development, which overlooks the influence of natural assets towards wealth, health and
wellbeing. Not only this, other than the plans formed by counties and business houses, they
also do faces challenges in regarded of sustainability and regarding the adoption of the green
growth strategies. Moreover, there are many important benefits in heading towards a greener
economy and a new model, which are needed to shape a strong and prosperous world
economy. Lastly, Green growth is the recreation of economic growth and expansion while
preventing costly environmental poverty, climate change, biodiversity damage and
unsustainable natural reserve use.
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