The planet is in the midst of a climate crisis, and immediate action is needed to avoid dire consequences. Green jobs could be an integral part of saving the planet from the impending devastation of climate change. In addition to making the planet healthier, green jobs can potentially create economic prosperity and foster social inclusion. So what exactly are green jobs and why are they so important? Let’s take a closer look.
What Are Green Jobs?
A green job is any job that is specifically focused on protecting the environment or minimizing the impact of climate change on the planet. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) defines green jobs as “positions in agriculture, manufacturing, R&D, administrative, and service activities aimed at substantially preserving or restoring environmental quality.”
The United Nations released an Emissions Gap Report in 2021, which estimated that global annual greenhouse gas emissions must be cut in half within the next eight years to successfully offset the effects of global warming. Green jobs are imperative if we are to meet these goals as a planet.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has identified five main traits of green jobs:
- Limits greenhouse gas emissions
- Improves energy and raw materials efficiency
- Minimizes waste and contamination
- Supports adaptation to the effects of climate change
- Protects and restores ecosystems
How Can Green Jobs Help the Economy?
Green jobs are both an ecological and economical necessity as we move further into the 21st century. These jobs can reduce unemployment, help individual nations become more economically competitive on a global scale, and promote public health. All of these factors work toward making the global economy more prosperous long term.
In developing nations and emerging economies, green jobs provide new economic opportunities for historically vulnerable portions of the population, such as young people, women, farmers, rural communities, and those living in disadvantaged areas.
What Is the Green Economy?
According to UNEP, the green economy is an economic system that is low carbon, resource efficient, and socially inclusive.
The green economy strives to achieve employment and income growth through public and private investments in green economic projects, infrastructure, and assets focused on reduced carbon emissions and pollution, improved energy systems, and more efficient resource management. In addition, a green economy prioritizes the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Can Green Jobs Improve Lives?
Supporters of the green economy emphasize the importance of putting people first. The goal is to create an economy where all people can participate in the creation of a more prosperous world. Wealth in a green economy should support the well-being of all people, meaning they can meet all of their financial, human, social, physical, and natural needs.
Investment in and access to sustainable natural systems, infrastructure, knowledge, and education are critical to the green economy. The creation of green businesses and jobs should help meet these goals.
The improvements for quality of life are twofold: Members of the community who work in green jobs can enjoy a better quality of life made possible by enriching, well-paying work, and those who are not involved in these industries can enjoy the environmental benefits provided by these jobs, such as cleaner air and easier access to clean water.
Green Jobs Outside of Green Sectors
The term green job is most commonly used to refer to jobs in green sectors, such as solar energy. However, green jobs are not limited to such sectors. Other industries will also need to create green jobs as part of a larger transition toward greener methods of production.
If the world is to meet the goals necessary for averting the climate crisis, all industries will need to overhaul their processes and move toward more climate-friendly models. For example, industries that are not specifically focused on the climate, such as food, transportation, and education, will need to evolve and become more climate-conscious.
Global Green Growth Leaders
Nations across the globe have begun recognizing the importance of focusing on green growth as a key tenet of economic development. Since 2019, the Green Growth Index (GGI) has measured the performance of various nations in achieving sustainability goals through a composite index. The regional leaders, according to the GGI, are:
- Sweden – Leads Europe in green growth performance and has nearly achieved all of its targets in the social inclusion aspect of the green economy. The nation has also made major progress in reading its sustainable land use goals by improving soil quality.
- Japan – Asia’s leading green growth nation has almost reached its goals regarding social equity and access to basic services. The country is also on schedule to meet its environmental quality and emission reduction goals.
- New Zealand – Oceania’s green growth leader has nearly reached its social inclusion goals through all metrics.