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Global Environmental Market Growing Faster Than Global GDP

Workers installing solar panles in Japan

According to Environmental Business International, the global environmental market grew 4% in 2011 and 2012, which is just above the general GDP rate of 3.9%. This growth of about $866 billion comes not just from renewable energy development, but also solid waste treatment and water utilities. This is great news to hear after a lack of discussion on environmental action over the past year or two.

Clean Energy Systems & Power was the fourth largest segment for the year 2011, with 11% growth. The only segment that grew faster was Resource Recovery, which increased by 13% last year.

The United States, Japan, and Western Europe are the three largest environmental markets in the 11-region revenue analysis. Renewable energy, recycling, green building, water reuse, energy efficiency, and other resource recovery areas are all growing more substantially than the overall economy in most nations researched.

This is good to hear, and maybe even a little surprising, since policy makers spent more time talking about, and in some cases not even talking about, the realities of climate change instead of actually doing something about it. Imagine what kind of jump we could make if everyone got down to business and made the environment a priority. THAT would be a jump that could really make a difference.

Image CC licensed by CoCreatr: Workers in Japan installing solar panels.

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