Dr. Zhang Youguo, research fellow with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) takes the questions from the press. [Pierre Chen / China.org.cn]

The United Nations has readdressed the importance of ending poverty and averting the likely catastrophic effects of climate change and environmental degradation over the next three to four decades in a report issued in Geneva on July 5.

The World Economic and Social Survey 2011: The Great Green Technological Transformation, published by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA) stresses that worldwide production processes need significant technological overall to achieve sustainable development.

Changes required, the report said, include scaling up clean energy technologies, instituting sustainable farming and forestry techniques, climate-proofing infrastructure investments as well as developing technologies that reduce non-biodegradable waste production.

Latest UN statistics shows that about 40 percent of the world's population, or 2.7 billion people, rely on traditional biomass, such as wood, dung and charcoal, for their energy needs. And 20 percent, mainly in South Asia and sub-Sahara Africa, still have no access to electricity.

Incremental investment of US$1.9 trillion annually in green technology is needed in order to meet rapidly increasing food and energy demands. US$1.1 trillion per year will need to be made in developing countries, the report said.

Green technologies that can impact change have long been available, but funding remains a problem in some developing countries, said Dr. Zhang Youguo, research fellow with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).

The majority of green technology investment has come from developed countries, who are reluctant to share with the rest of the world due to the economic potential of the green energy market. At the same time, developing countries that are profiting from heavy industry outsourcing are reluctant to change their own development models.

To address this imbalance, the UN-DESA report urges governments to implement incentives to accelerate green technology innovation as well as make structural changes towards sustainable production and consumption.

Dr. Zhang Xiao, a CASS senior research fellow, said the UN recommendations are good news for developing countries like China. She said that developed countries should provide other countries with financial and technological support if they are serious about building a sustainable future.

"Many countries think China has sufficient capital, but it is not true. We are looking for financial and technological support from developed countries,” she said.