A New Year's Resolution: Sticking to a Truly "Green" Stimulus

2009-01-01

 

January 1st in many parts of the world is a time for New Year's resolutions. We reflect on our bad habits and vow to change for the better – lose weight, quit smoking, be a better person. With the global economy collapsing around us, both China and the U.S. recently offered up an early resolution for the coming year: go green. The proposed economic stimulus packages of both countries include potentially promising "green" components. The potential for green innovation in China’s economic stimulus package in fact far exceeds what has explicitly been announced, but only if China sets criteria to improve environmental performance all investments in the package.  Details of the U.S. stimulus package are still not announced, but similar efforts should be made to incorporate green innovation into all aspects of that package.  

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