The greenest bail-out?

Governments around the world have committed over $512bn of the global economic stimulus outlined so far to green projects, with 22 per cent to be spent in 2009, HSBC estimates.

The proposed round of government spending in economies across the world represents a unique opportunity for green businesses. The increased investment could pull energy consumers towards using more renewables, create millions of new jobs in green industries and help to create a more efficient, low-carbon future.

However, proponents of a green stimulus also claim that there will be serious consequences if the money is misspent. Using this funding to continue with the sorts of infrastructure that we already have could mean that countries are committed to a path which has already led to a growth in greenhouse gas emissions.

The white bubbles below represent the total size of each county’s fiscal stimulus package, while the green bubbles inside are equivalent to the country’s allocation towards environmental initiatives. Click on each bubble to see a breakdown of the county’s spending and an analysis of where the funding is being targeted.

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