Capacity building of West African countries around the green economy for climate change mitigation: a study on the green economy in West Africa

Abstract

The green economy, a controversial concept in its definitions, is considered to be a tool for the promotion of sustainable development. It remains at the heart of debates, both at the national and the international levels, in the fight against climate change and the mass creation of environment-friendly jobs. The concept of green growth attracts more and more interest amongst policy-makers and development practitioners to deal with the model of the world economy. The RIO + 20 Summit held in June 2012 was an opportunity for the international community to reinvigorate political commitment towards sustainable development and to address emerging development challenges.