By RANOBA BAOA
Developing a framework to look into green gross domestic product (GDP) will be a step to increase economic growth whilst considering biodiversity and ecosystem value.
This was the highlight of the first panel discussion on Economic Valuation of Fiji’s Ecosystem and Biodiversity at Holiday Inn Suva on Wednesday night.
The event, viewed by panellists and listeners as long overdue, was organised by Department of the Environment.
Five experts on ecosystem, biodiversity economics and engineering spoke during the event.
They highlighted how giving value to the environment would help policy-makers be more environmentally aware before making decisions concerning economic growth.
Way forward
United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Pacific office statistician Jillian Campbell said Green GDP was the way forward.
“If we can put the environment into a macro economic framework, I do believe that there are a lot of gains there,” Ms Campbell said.
“Right now we don’t have a Green GDP and we don’t have a further green growth that we can use to try to build that political momentum.
“I think GDP is the starting point because in macro-economic terms, this is the number that is being used and probably the most used number for policy making across the globe.”