Page 277 - Special Topic Session (STS) - Volume 1

STS429 Margarita R.
representation of several distinctive areas of human life (economic, social,
environmental), but also show the correlations between those areas, while at
the same time providing a balanced and representative illustration of the
fundamental aspects of the “greenification” process.

4. Critique of the green economy
Civil society groups and governments are critical of the transition to a
green economy, taking into account that it does not adequately or clearly
address the social, economic and ecological aspects, pillars of sustainable
development (Geng et al., 2017). On the contrary, it can become a new
framework for sustainable development, replacing the three pillars mentioned
(Loiseau et al., 2016). From the United Nations Environment Program, it is
stated that “the achievement of sustainability depends considerably on the
adequacy of the economy”, which makes it necessary to examine the concept
of a green economy and the way in which the concept of a green economy
would promote economic, ecological and social sustainability within this.
Another criticism that appears is the economistic character of the green
economy, which, although based on the production of more sustainable
sectors which reduce environmental problems, continues to have an economic
pattern of accumulation and infinite growth (Lander, 2011; Karakul, 2016). For
Droste et al. (2016), overcoming the current economic order, would imply the
need to convert economic production to physical terms, so that the finite
capacity of natural resources and assimilation of the waste of human activity
on the planet becomes evident.
Unmüßig et al. (2012) and Diyar et al. (2014), state that the green economy
is an inappropriate term, scientific and philosophical misunderstanding, which
will not achieve sustainable development and the eradication of poverty. Also
Montefrio & Dressler (2016) add that it was created from ambiguities, without
scientific or philosophical support, and that on the contrary it will legitimize
the opening of markets, create more tension with the ecological and cultural
diversity of the planet and of humanity.

5. Conclusion
The green economy becomes a model which promotes growth, the
creation of income and jobs, in particular “green jobs”, which seeks to generate
a change in the interaction between economic progress and environmental
sustainability, mostly if wealth is measured account for natural assets and not
just productivity. In addition, the green economy also contributes substantially
to reducing social inequality among countries and eradicating poverty in the
world.
It should be noted that the implementation of the green economy can
achieve technological changes, which allow the adoption of environmentally

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