The concept of a ‘green economy’ has emerged from a long history of sustainable development practice and policy making. In the preparations for Rio+20, the term gained renewed political attention as a ‘new’ paradigm for achieving sustainable development. Two years on, as national policy frameworks for a green economy are in place and international institutions are channelling funding towards the transition, some critical questions remain: How are green policies impacting the poorest? What is the evidence that green economy tools are reversing the trend of environmental degradation? How are macro-economic tools relevant to community-based action?On 24-26 February 2014, forty individuals representing diverse views including trade unions, business, civil society and policy convened at Wilton Park to discuss ‘Real Green Economies’.