Investing In Climate Investing In Growth

This report provides an assessment of how governments can generate inclusive economic growth in the short term, while making progress towards climate goals to secure sustainable long-term growth. It describes the development pathways required to meet the Paris Agreement objectives.

"Cognisant of the many facets of climate change, this report looks through the lens of economics, that is, the social science that measures the economic impact of climate change and the costs and benefits of trying to mitigate it and adapt to it. From an investment perspective, issues for study include the balance between investment in mitigating greenhouse-gas emissions and adaptation to climate change; the urgency and timing of investing in both; obstacles to investment; and policies to remove them and make investment profitable. From a growth perspective, issues of interest include the link between climate action and economic growth; the short-term and the long-term dimensions of this link; and the importance of innovation as an interface between climate action and economic growth. One of the key messages from this report is that there is unexploited scope for making Europe's climate action more efficient, growth-friendly, and in tune with fiscal constraints."--publisher's description.

We propose a macroeconomic model to assess optimal public policy decisions in the the face of competing funding demands for climate change action versus traditional welfare-enhancing capital investment. How to properly delineate the costs and benefits of traditional versus adaption-focused development remains an open question. The paper places particular emphasis on the changing level of risk and vulnerabilities faced by developing countries as they allocate investment toward growth strategies, adapting to climate change and emissions mitigation.

Net Zero is not enough. We have dithered so long about climate change that, by now, we would need to go to negative-emissions territory, well before 2050, to keep global warming under the iconic 1.5°C target. The national commitments made so far fall short of what is needed, and so do the investments envisioned. But even with the best of intentions, it is hard for policymakers and potential investors to discern where, in the profusion of initiatives and technologies, it would make sense to focus their attention and resources. This is where this book comes in. It offers a clear-eyed view of how far along the decarbonization path six key sectors of the economy are—namely energy, utilities, transportation, industry, buildings, and agriculture—and which areas and technologies within each sector are promising in terms of investments to advance the cause. Furthermore, a special chapter on Africa spotlights a continent that is simultaneously one of the worst affected by climate change, the most likely to see its greenhouse gas emissions increase—and the one with the greatest potential for solving the West's, and the world’s, energy transition and economic growth conundrum. As such, the book serves as a concise guide both to the state of the battle against global warming, and for investors, professionals, and policymakers to find their way through the maze of options.

Although the Latin American region's growth rates are at a three decade high, they have been historically disappointing in relative terms, which cannot be dissociated from the microeconomic environment in which firms operate. Policy makers may need to complement their focus on macroeconomic stability with an increased emphasis on microeconomic reforms. By providing empirical evidence linking actual firm performance to shortcomings in Latin America's investment climate, the book discusses policies that could have a significant impact on firm productivity by improving the environment in which firms invest and operate.

The importance of a country's "investment climate" for economic growth has recently received much attention. Hallward-Driemeier, Wallsten, and Xu address the general lack of appropriate data for measuring the investment climate and its effects. The authors use a new survey of 1,500 Chinese enterprises in five cities to more precisely define and measure components of the investment climate, highlight the importance of firm-level data for rigorous analysis of the investment climate, and investigate empirically the effects of this comprehensive set of measures on firm performance in China. Overall, their firm-level analysis reveals that the main determinants of firm performance in China are international integration, entry and exit, labor market issues, technology use, and access to external finance. This paper--a product of Investment Climate, Development Research Group--is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the investment climate using firm-level datasets.

This is the 27th edition of the annual World Development Report and this edition focuses on a key development challenge of how governments can promote a strong investment climate in their societies, in order to foster economic growth and address poverty reduction objectives. Drawing on surveys of nearly 30,000 firms in 53 developing countries, as well as country case studies and other new research, the report explores options for expanding opportunities for firms and entrepreneurs of all types, from farmers and microenterprises to local manufacturing concerns and multinationals, to invest productively and create job opportunities. Findings drawn include that a strong investment climate should benefit society as a whole as well as individual firms, requires well-designed regulation and taxation systems. and should recognise and embrace the contributions of all types of firms to growth and poverty reduction. Governments need to address barriers to competitiveness and bridge the gap between policies and their implementation and address deeper sources of policy failure which can undermine a sound investment climate. The report also contains selected data from the World Bank's programme of Investment Climate Surveys and the Doing Business Project, as well as from the World Development Indicators 2004.