Support for the development of a green economy is one of the two major themes of the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development set for June 2012 in Brazil. Developed countries have already made considerable efforts in encouraging the emergence of eco-innovation to support green growth. However more support is needed to assist developing countries in moving to a green economy. The emergence of a truly global green market particularly involving the BRIC countries – Brazil, Russia, India and China – offers a major opportunity for Europe and European businesses.

A report drawn up by the UN with economists and experts worldwide shows clearly that the greening of economies offers a new engine of growth, that it is a net generator of decent jobs and that it is also a vital strategy for the elimination of persistent poverty. The report also seeks to motivate policy makers to create the enabling conditions for increased investments in a transition to a green economy.

The 11th European Forum on Eco-innovation, to be held in Finland on 11 and 12 October, has an important role in helping creating these conditions. It will look to identify global opportunities for eco-innovation and opportunities for green trade between developed and developing nations. The forum will review practical examples of making trade work on the ground with the intention of identifying the challenges and generating recommendations for policies that create a new platform to increase the global green market. These recommendations will contribute to the development of the EU position at the Rio+20 conference.