Ethiopian policymaker and scholar Arkebe Oqubay is co-editing a significant new volume, The Greening of Economic Development: A Global Industrial Revolution, scheduled for release on May 15, 2025. Co-edited with John A. Mathews, the book offers a comprehensive exploration of how economic growth can align with environmental sustainability, focusing on renewable energy, circular resource flows, and green finance.
The publication outlines a shift from traditional development models, which rely on fossil fuels and linear resource use, towards a system built on renewable energy sources, resource circularity, and sustainable financial practices such as green bonds and equities. According to the editors, this approach represents a substantial transformation of the global economic system, involving industrial policies that support technological innovation and capacity building.
Featuring contributions from over fifty experts, the book provides a detailed overview of how greening the economy is a process driven by industrial policy, cost reductions from technological improvements, and an emphasis on sustainable growth. The authors highlight that this transition is relevant for both emerging and developed economies, with strategies that could contribute to long-term economic resilience while reducing environmental impacts.
The Greening of Economic Development frames the transition as an ongoing process rather than a singular goal, suggesting that it is compatible with continued economic expansion. The book also emphasizes the need for global collaboration through initiatives like a Green Deal, proposing pathways for nations to integrate sustainability into industrial development.
The release of this book in May 2025 is expected to contribute to discussions around the role of industrial policy in supporting sustainable economic growth, offering insights for policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers focused on balancing economic development with environmental goals.
