What is eco efficiency?

“Green   Growth”  emphasizes  the need  to  improve the “ecological  efficiency” of the growth patterns of countries in the region  so  that  the  region may continue the much needed economic growth necessary for poverty reduction (MDG1) without compromising the environmental sustainability (MDG7) of the region. Eco-efficiency was first promoted by World Business Council on Sustainable Development as a business concept to improve the economic and environmental performance of individual firms. Here eco-efficiency is being suggested as a concept for economy wide application for a country as a whole. The term eco-efficiency is a concept combining “RESOURCE USE EFFICIENCY” with “POLLUTION IMPACT MINIMIZATION.” Eco-efficiency   means improving the efficiency of  the  use  of natural resources, while minimizing the negative environmental impact of pollution arising  from  the use of natural resources. Thus eco-efficiency may include both resource use efficiency and pollution control efficiency.

Eco-efficiency indicators

UNESCAP is developing EEI  (Eco-efficiency Indicators) in order to better explain the linkage between economic activity, resource usage and environmental impact in order to evaluate economic policies more effectively and thereby assist policy makers in improving the eco-efficiency of economic growth. ESCAP’s Eco-efficiency Indicators (EEI) will measure how the environment is used for economic activity and how it is affected by economic activity needed to reduce persistent poverty in the region. The EEI are more policy relevant than other indicator initiatives, since they are being created in consultation with academics and policy makers from the region who have been using indicators to evaluate national and international policy making.