Nansy Edwadrs

Many countries home to lush rainforests sell off timber to make way for industry, agriculture and mining of natural resources, with the ultimate goal of boosting the country's economic development. But Guyana is choosing to take a different path. It's hoping to jumpstart its economy by conserving its rainforests and getting the international community to pay for the carbon storage that its living forests provide.

The Paris forum, taking place on 4 April 2013, will bring world leaders and key actors together to engage in a dynamic and critical debate on the need for a shift away from labour- and resource-intensive production towards resource-efficient productivity.

With our current renewable energy policy, the U.S. risks losing its competitive edge in the green economy. Applied Materials President and CEO Michael Splinter asserts that doing nothing is neither a strategy, nor a policy and he will discuss innovative solutions to create new green-collar jobs and re-establish the U.S. as a technology leader.

The green economy is defined as an economy that aims at reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities, and that aims for sustainable development without degrading the environment. It is closely related with ecological economics, but has a more politically applied focus. The 2011 UNEP Green Economy Report argues "that to be green, an economy must not only be efficient, but also fair. Fairness implies recognising global and country level equity dimensions, particularly in assuring a just transition to an economy that is low-carbon, resource efficient, and socially inclusive."