The green economy biodiversity climate change nexus: Minimising risks and enhancing opportunities

---

Godwell Nhamo

University of South Africa, South Africa

: Expert Opin Environ Biol

Abstract

---

There is no doubt that the emergence of the green global economy (growth) transition agenda in 2008 after the financial crisis brought new uses for biodiversity and ecosystems under global environmental change (including climate change). During Rio+20 global leaders agreed that the future they preferred would be one that addressed green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication. To this end, green economy is viewed as one of the tools available for achieving sustainable development including sustainability biodiversity and ecosystems under climate change. The terms green economy, biodiversity and ecosystems as well as climate change are central in the Rio+20 outcomes document entitled The Future We Want. With the carbon market having received a new life during COP17, mechanism such as reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation plus (REDD+) present interesting discussions points. Hence biodiversity and ecosystems, particularly those in the African and Latin America’s forests have proved to be attractive destinations for carbon mitigation projects under REDD+. In addition, biodiversity and ecosystems are excellent adaptation interventions in developing countries as they conserve water, prevent degradation and desertification. In as much as REDD+ projects present opportunities to the developing countries, particularly those along the equator, a number of risks have emerged, among them: forced displacement of local and indigenous communities, contestations on carbon rights, corruption, land and water grabbing and potential for increased poverty to weaker communities. This keynote paper therefore deliberates on the contestations and dilemmas associated with the nexus between biodiversity, ecosystems, climate change and the green economy (growth) transition under the conference tract 10 dealing with Biodiversity and its allied areas.

Biography

---

Godwell Nhamo completed his PhD at the age of 35 years from Rhodes University and did his postdoctoral studies at the University of Witwatersrand, both in South Africa. He is currently a Chief Researcher and Chair for the Exxaro Chair in Business and Climate Change at the University of South Africa. He has been managing the Exxaro Chair since August 2009. The Exxaro Chair has grown to be among the few African Centres of Excellence in the fields of climate change and green economy. He has also published more than 20 papers in reputed journals, serves on editorial boards, panel of experts and other boards. He has also edited a number of books and graduated doctoral and masters students. Currently, he has 7 doctoral and 3 master’s students under his supervision; all dealing with various dimensions on climate change and the green economy.

Email: nhamog@unisa.ac.za