The NRW Green Economy Report for 2024 is a continuation of the previous Green Economy Reports, which have been produced every two years for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia since 2015. The report provides an overview of the size, growth and ecological impact of the green economy in NRW. The IÖW supported Prognos in the preparation of the report and focused on the economic valuation of the positive environmental impacts of the green economy. The environmental impacts analyzed include climate and climate adaptation effects, air and water purification and the effects on the landscape and biodiversity to which the environmental economy contributes through its goods and services.

Overall, the environmental-economic evaluation shows: The green economy in North Rhine-Westphalia not only generates added value of almost 53 billion euros, but also provides significant environmental benefits totaling almost 29 billion euros. The majority of the environmental benefits – almost 20 billion euros – are the result of avoided environmental damage through technologies or services provided by the green economy, which contribute to the avoidance of greenhouse gas or air pollutant emissions. The remaining 9 billion euros result from the direct ecological benefits generated by the green economy through actively contributing to the preservation of natural landscapes and the conservation of resources through recycling. In addition to this overview, this year's Green Economy Report NRW focuses on the economic evaluation of the environmental impacts of local public transport, urban green spaces, the rewetting of peatlands and the nature conservation and recreation area of the Eifel National Park.

View report (DE)