The last decades have brought to the attention of public opinion and decision makers a new dimension - the ecological dimension. This new dimension has gained importance following situations of environmental imbalance, which have led to dramatic effects, with multiple economic and social costs. The ecological challenges of the new millennium, in particular, in terms of the principles of functioning of the economic system, outline the scale of the efforts required by this new approach. In this context, the ecological approach and everything that is done for the protection of the environment on all levels has proved to be in the human interest. Thus, the concept of "Green Economy" debated, initially, in specialized media with reference to environmental economics, has increasingly penetrated the international issues of sustainable development and political discourses on environment and development. We meet it in the speeches of heads of state, finance ministers, in G20 communiqués, in the activity of international bodies (OECD, ILO, IMF, World Bank, EBRD, EIB) being discussed in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication. This recent concern for a green economy has been fueled by the disillusionment of market dysfunction, the multiple crises of the first decade of the new millennium, especially the economic and financial crisis of 2008. But at the same time, the international community is concerned with finding a solution. new paths to follow, a new paradigm of economic development - in which material well-being is not necessarily ensured by increasing environmental risks, by depleting resources and deepening social disparities. The transition to this new ecological approach will have an impact on improving human health and natural ecosystems, with the aim of eradicating poverty and improving the quality of life. A green economy is a model of economic development, an economy based on sustainable development and knowledge of the ecological economy.
Karl Burkart defines the green economy as being based on six main sectors:
• renewable energy (solar, wind, etc.)
• “green” constructions (eg LEED constructions - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
• alternative fuels (electric or hybrid vehicles, etc.)
• water management (water treatment, rainwater collection systems, etc.)
• waste management (recycling, etc.)
• territorial management (including organic agriculture, habitat conservation, afforestation at urban level-parks, reforestation and land stabilization).
The Global Citizens Center led by Kevin Danaher defines the "green economy" as an economy based on:
Sustainability - based on the fact that our biosphere is a closed system with finite resources and a limited capacity for self-regeneration. We depend on the earth's natural resources and that is why we must create an economic system that respects the integrity of ecosystems.
Social environment - we must create an economic system that ensures all people access to a decent standard of living and full of opportunities for social and personal development.
The green economy is a global aggregate of individual communities to meet the needs of its citizens through responsible, local production and the exchange of goods and services.