Sustainable economy is being misrepresented as green

Of late, the term ‘green economy’ has gained popularity across international environmental policy and development practices. While symbolically appealing, it is not akin to a ‘sustainable economy’, and rather incorrect and confusing if applied vice versa.

As English writer Neil Gaiman said: “We often confuse what we wish for with what is.” Proving him correct, green is misinterpreted as sustainable, which encompasses an eco-friendly roadmap. It’s time to analyze and explore the basis and political implications of the two distinct terms.

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There are fundamental differences between the two concepts in terms of temporal, social, cultural, and political dimensions. Therefore, the green label must be examined to provide accurate and inclusive alternatives to describe the transformative economic shifts in response to global environmental challenges.

Green versus sustainable

The green economy focuses on clean energy technologies, emission reduction, and resource management. However, despite its relevance, it overlooks social and economic justice, lacks a long-term perspective, and is often used as a cosmetic tool without a genuine structural reform.

Conversely, a sustainable economy is a holistic and multi-dimensional framework that seeks to balance the environment. It emphasises protection of natural resources, equity and inclusion of society, an efficient and resilient economy, and intergenerational responsibility. Representing a transformative structure, it redefines the relationship between humans and nature, beyond technical advancement.

A sustainable economy is the pathway that meets the demands of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. It comprises the essential requirements of the world’s poor, which should be prioritised.

Basis of the green scene

The green economy was the organising theme of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2012, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 1992 Earth Summit.

Over the years, the term has given rise to several interpretations. The concept gained momentum in recent years as a paradigm for reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. Defined as low-carbon, resource-efficient, and socially inclusive, herein, the growth in employment and income is driven by public and private investment into activities and infrastructure that reduce carbon emissions and pollution, enhance energy and resource efficiency, and prevent the loss of biodiversity.

The green economy is an agenda to achieve sustainable development and emphasises aligning the economic goals with social and environmental aspects, and investments must be supported through policy reforms.

Flight to sustainable development

It is a flight to sustainable development and requires a fundamental shift in government priorities. The green economy assesses projects on the principles of international climate agreements, including the Paris Agreement, engages in long-term low-carbon strategies, greening the financial sector, and focuses on industrial decarbonisation, environmental infrastructure, and green buildings.

For the transition to a green economy, significant structural and technological changes are required globally in sectors including energy, urban infrastructure, transportation, industry, and agriculture. 

While realising this change may not seem easy, it is necessary for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Though each country will transition to a green economy at a different pace, resources, knowledge, and information are crucial for the shift.

Not a matter of perception

While green has a limited representational meaning that fails to reflect the structural complexity of sustainability, politically, it obscures the absence of justice or genuine sustainability behind an environmental façade. Terminology is not mere semantics; it shapes awareness and policy. Reducing sustainable economy to green misleads the social and cultural dimensions essential for building a just and resilient future. 

Therefore, in an era of profound environmental transformation, it would be ethical to consider alternatives to the term. Hopes cannot be built on a foundation of confusion. To achieve conceptual precision and fairness, the green economy could simply be referred to as an integrated sustainable economy or a transformative economy, because a green economy does not mean a sustainable economy. Period.

The writer, the UAE's former Minister for Climate Change and Environment, is Chairman of the Sharjah Consultative Council.

Dr. Abdullah Belhaif Alnuaimi

Contributor

• 

leadership@khaleejtimes.com

Dr. Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi is a prominent Emirati leader in environmental policy, infrastructure development, and sustainable innovation, with a career spanning over four decades. He currently serves as Chairman of the Sharjah Consultative Council and is a visiting professor at the American University of Sharjah, where he mentors doctorate-level engineering students and teaches sustainability.

Dr. Al Nuaimi was the UAE’s Minister of Climate Change and Environment from 2020, where he led national efforts in climate resilience and ecosystem protection. He also chaired the UAE Council for Climate Change and Environment and the National Biosecurity Committee. Previously, from 2013, he served as Minister of Infrastructure Development, overseeing transformative federal projects, including highways, housing, and transportation. He also led the Sheikh Zayed Housing Program and the Federal Transport Authority.

In academia, Dr. Al Nuaimi holds a PhD from the UK and has taught in higher education for several years. He is a Senior Fellow at the American University of Sharjah and an Honorary Professor at Heriot-Watt University, which awarded him an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering. In 2020, he was appointed Chair of Heriot-Watt’s Centre of Excellence in Smart Construction (CESC), advancing innovation in the built environment.

Beyond public service, Dr. Al Nuaimi is an accomplished writer, poet, and keynote speaker, with over 50 published articles in Arabic and English. He is a leading voice on climate change, renewable energy, and sustainability. His nomination as a Fellow at the World Academy of Art and Science underscores his commitment to interdisciplinary dialogue and global development.

Dr. Al Nuaimi continues to influence public policy, academic thought, and environmental advocacy in the UAE and beyond.