Tyler Soleau

October 20, 2008

Amidst global financial collapse, the United Nations Environmental Programme in conjunction with the International Labor Organization recently released a landmark report offering hope. The report entitled Green Jobs: Towards Decent Work in a Sustainable, Low-Carbon World is the first of its kind to examine transitioning from a high-carbon economy to a low-carbon energy-efficient one. Using data gathered from various employment sectors, the report draws conclusions and recommendations for policy makers, industries, businesses, workers, and trade unions. The report postulates that millions of jobs could be created by transitioning to an energy-efficient economy, with over 20 million jobs in the alternative energy sector.

What are green jobs? Although there is no one specific definition, the report defines green jobs as "work in agriculture, industry, service, and administration that contributes to preserving or restoring the quality of the environment." Green jobs are not limited to working in a green industry, but having a job which provides adequate compensation, security, safe working conditions and labor rights. The report recognizes that "[p]eople's livelihoods and sense of dignity are bound up tightly with their jobs. A job that is exploitative, harmful, fails to pay a living wage, and thus condemns workers to a life of poverty can hardly be hailed as green."

Transitioning to an energy efficient economy is not without its challenges. Jobs within extractive industries, like mining and fossil fuel capture will be lost. Currently, the number of individuals working in the oil and gas sector far exceeds the number of people working green jobs. However, the report suggests these employees can be retrained with the necessary skills to utilize the technology and resources inherent in green jobs. Global distribution of green jobs is necessary to facilitate a transition to an energy-efficient economy and reduce poverty. Jill Kubit, an author of the report notes "[l]arge parts of the developing world are completely excluded from the green economy. Green jobs are not reaching those that need them the most." Developed nations with concentrations of green jobs must ensure that technology and knowledge are available and accessible to developing nations. Recent technology transfer programs in Brazil and India should serve as models for success.

The report envisions the transition to an energy-efficient economy as requiring, "a second great transformation of economies and societies, as far-reaching as the first transformation brought about by the Industrial Revolution." Green job creation coupled with significant financial and political investment will serve as catalysts for transitioning to an energy-efficient economy. Based on increases in energy-efficient markets and industries, a Deutsche Asset Management report suggests the transition is already occurring. Significant economic and political investments are still necessary. Sean Sweeney, another author of the report, believes the transition must be "rapid, global, and against existing trends." Hopefully this report sparks the Green Revolution and cultivates the growth of a global green collar economy.

Sources:

Jill Kubit etal., United Nations Environmental Programme, Green Jobs: Towards Decent Work in a Sustainable, Low-carbon World (Lisa Mastny ed., United Nations Environmental Programme 2008).

Landmark New Report Says Emerging Green Economy Could Create Tens of Millions of New "Green Jobs", International Labor Organization & United Nations Environmental Progamme (Sept. 24, 2008), http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=545&ArticleID=5929&l=en.

Green Jobs Transition Must Accelerate, Environmental New Network (Oct. 16, 2008), http://www.enn.com/business/article/38425.

Deutsche Asset Management, Investing In Climate Change: An Asset Management Report (Mark Fulton ed., Deutsche Bank Group 2007).

Green Jobs Should Create 20 Million Jobs by 2030, Reuters (Sept. 25, 2008), http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-35635520080924.