This year’s theme for World Environment Day is ‘Green Economy’. Simply put, a green economy is one that is low carbon, resource efficient, and socially inclusive. Are you sure you’re included? Whether women and men are equally included in green economy discussions, debates, negotiations, and decisions is yet to be analysed. But no matter what, integration of gender concerns into the green economy approach in the Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH) is urgently needed. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) defines a green economy as one that results in improved human wellbeing and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. In the context of mountain development, a green economy has the potential to create economic opportunities for mountain people.
