"Green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication" and "institutional framework for sustainable development" constitute the two thematic offices areas of tithe United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UUNCSD, also known as Rioo+20), which is being organized in 2012 in order to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development, assess the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development, and address new and emerging challenges.

Green economy has been put forward by the international community as a way of overcoming the many concurrent and interlinked global crises experienced during the past few years – namely the financial, food and climate crises – through a reallocation of capital into green sectors. Green economy aims to reinforce the integration between economic, social and environmental objectives for the achievement of sustainable development.

However, while a green economy promises key benefits in terms of environmental sustainability, long term economic growth, and employment creation, it is still not clear who will be the winners from such an economy and who will be the losers. In addition, there is still no consensus on how to translate broad policy options into economic and financial instruments, and what enabling conditions need to be put in place by national governments to realize promised benefits of a green economy. Of particular importance to the region is to determine the measures to be adopted by Arab countries for developing economic activities in which they can have a competitive position in global green markets (e.g. renewable energies, desalination, water efficiency, etc.).

As part of its mandate to lead regional preparations for Rio+200, ESCWA is organizing a series of national and regional workshops and seminars targeting different stakeholders such as government, civil society and the private sector. This proposed preparatory meeting targets the public financial sector and will specifically tackle the reform of economic policies in Arab Countries in order to facilitate channeling of capital into green areas and stimulate a fair, advantageous and timely transition to a green economy in the region.

1. Road Map to Rio+20
Ms. Roula Majdalani, Director, Sustainable Development and Productivity Division, ESCWA

2. Green Financing for the Arab Region
Mr. Riccardo Mesiano, Officer-in Charge, Productive Sectors Section, Sustainable Development and Productivity Division, ESCWA

3. Economic Sustainability
Mr. Atif Kubursi, Professor of Economics, McMaster University, Canada

4. Regional Review of Institutions for Sustainable Development in the Arab Region
Mr. Clive George, Associate, Institute for Development Policy and Management, University of Manchester, United Kingdom

5. The Jordanian Experience in the Adoption of an Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development
Mr. Mutasim Al- Kilani, Head, Sustainable Development Division, Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, Jordan

6. Financing the Green Economy: An Overview
Ms. Rima Ariss, First Economic Affairs Officer, Economic Development and Globalization Division, ESCWA

7. Environmental Degradation Cost Due to Inaction
Mr. Fadi Comair, Director General, Ministry of Energy and Water, Lebanon

8. The Cost of Environmental Degradation on the GDP in the Arab Region
Mr. Sergio Margulis, Lead Environmental Economist, Climate Change Team, World Bank, France

9. The System of Environmental Economics Accounts (SEEA) for ESCWA Member Countries and a Green Economy
Ms. Wafa Aboul Hosn, Team Leader, Energy and Environment Statistics, Statistics Division, ESCWA

10. Environmental Taxation between Theory and Practice
Mr. Walid Marrouch, Professor, Department of Economics, Lebanese American University, Lebanon

11. Environmental Taxes Related to the Petroleum Industry: Impacts and Challenges
Mr. Abdul Kareem Ayed, Senior Economist, Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC)

12. Highlights of the Iraqi Experience in Sustainable Development and Green Economy
Mr. Sami Mati Polous, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Planning, Iraq

13. Palestine Achievement in Transition to Green Economy a | b
Mr. Anwar Muala, Director of Sustainable Development, Environment Quality Authority, Palestine

14. Policies Supporting the Transition to a Green Economy
Mr. Omar Samara, Advisor, Office of the Secretary General, Ministry of Finance, Jordan

15. The Sudan’s Experience in Supporting a Green Economy a | b
Mr. Ahmed Abdelkrim Atta Elfadeel Mohamed, Director of Regional and International Economic Blocs, General Directorate of Financial International Cooperation, Ministry of Finance and National Economy, Sudan

16. Government Policies and Programmes in Syria for the Implementation of a Green Economy a | b
Ms. Rouida Nahar, Director of Clean Production and Renewable Energy Directorate and National Clean Production Center, Ministry of State for Environment Affairs, Syrian Arab Republic

17. Food Security as a Priority for Transition to a Green Economy
Ms. Reem M. I Al-Shamsi, FTA Negotiator, GCC Section, Ministry of Finance, UAE

18. Green Financing and Investment
Mr. Mohammed Taha Rafi, Sustainable Energy Finance, Middle East and North Africa, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Pakistan

19. Investing in the Green Economy
Mr. Atif Kubursi, Professor of Economics, McMaster University, Canada

20. Green Incentives: Case of Environmental Loans in Lebanon
Mr. Mazen Halawi, Head of Section at the Financing Unit, Central Bank of Lebanon

21. Funding of Holistic Green Projects – "Green Sharm Initiative" as a Case Study
Mr. Nabih Maroun, Partner, Booz & Company, United Arab Emirates

22. Sustainable Public Procurement: A Tool to Drive Markets Towards Innovation and Sustainability – Opportunities and Constraints in the Arab Region
Mr. Farid Yaker, Program Officer, Division of Technology, Industry and Economics, Sustainable Consumption and Production Branch, United Nations Environment Programme, France

23. Green Public Procurement
Mr. Francesco Bicciato, Team Leader, “Art Gold”, United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Lebanon

24. Implementing the MTF Approach to SPP: The case of Lebanon
Ms. Rana Rizkallah, Institut des Finances Basil Fuleihan, Lebanon

25. Regional Cooperation for a Green Economy
Mr. Fareed Busheri, Regional DTIE Officer, UNEP/ROWA

26. Green Economy in a Changing Arab World
Mr. Najib Saab, Secretary General, Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED)