Date: 07-Aug-09
Country: United States, Europe, China and South Korea
Author: Reuters
 

The United States, Europe, China and South Korea lead global "green" spending plans after committing about $500 billion to boost low-carbon technologies and protect the environment, under wider plans to boost the global economy.

Green spend accounts for about 15 percent of total economic stimulus cash of $3 trillion, according to HSBC in a report published on May 22. More detail follows.

GREEN SPENDING PLANS UNDER $3 TRILLION STIMULUS

These funds are to be spent over the next 5-10 years, and especially in 2009-2010. Estimates vary, depending on whether to include rail investments, for example, and what plans comprise new money.

Source: HSBC

TOTAL: $478 bln

CHINA: $217 bln

* Focus: rail ($104 bln); grid ($70 bln); water and waste ($42 bln); low carbon cars ($1.5 billion)

* Rollout: 2009-10

UNITED STATES: $112 bln

* Focus: renewable energy ($33 bln); building efficiency ($31 bln); water and waste ($16 bln); grid ($12 bln); rail ($10 bln); low carbon cars ($5 bln)

* Rollout: 10 years

THE EUROPEAN UNION: $53 bln

* Focus: building efficiency ($16 bln); grid ($9 bln); low carbon cars ($6.6 bln); rail ($5.8 bln); renewable energy ($2.4 bln); water and waste ($1 bln);

* Rollout: 2009-11

SOUTH KOREA: $31 bln

* Focus: water and waste ($14 bln); rail ($7 bln); building efficiency ($6 bln); low carbon cars ($2 bln); renewable energy ($2 bln)

* Rollout: 2009-12

GERMANY: $14 bln

* Focus: building efficiency ($10 bln); rail ($3 bln); low carbon cars ($1 bln)

* Rollout: 2009-10

FRANCE: $7 bln

* Focus: grid ($4 bln)

* Rollout: 2009-10