Twenty-four million new jobs will be created globally by 2030 if the right policies to promote a greener economy are put in place, a new International Labour Organization report says
Twenty-four million new jobs will be created globally by 2030 if the right policies to promote a greener economy are put in place, a new International Labour Organization (ILO) report says.
According to World Employment and Social Outlook 2018: Greening with Jobs , action to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius will result in sufficient job creation to more than offset job losses of 6 million elsewhere.
New jobs will be created by adopting sustainable practices in the energy sector, including changes in the energy mix, promoting the use of electric vehicles and improving the energy efficiency of buildings.
Ecosystem services — including air and water purification soil renewal and fertilization, pest control, pollination, and protection against extreme weather conditions — sustain farming, fishing, forestry, and tourism activities, which employ 1.2 billion workers.
But projected temperature increases will make heat stress, particularly in agriculture, more common. It can lead to several medical conditions, including exhaustion and stroke. The report calculates that heat stress will cause a 2 per cent global loss in hours worked by 2030 due to sickness.
“The findings of our report underline that jobs rely heavily on a healthy environment and the services that it provides. The green economy can enable millions more people to overcome poverty and deliver improved livelihoods for this and future generations. This is a very positive message of opportunity in a world of complex choices,” said ILO Deputy Director-General Deborah Greenfield.
At the regional level, there will be net job creation in the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, and Europe, representing some 3 million, 14 million, and 2 million jobs, respectively, resulting from measures taken in the production and use of energy.
In contrast, there could be net job losses in the Middle East (-0.48%) and Africa (-0.04%) if current trends continue due to the dependence of these regions on fossil fuel and mining, the report states.
The report calls on countries to take urgent action to train workers in the skills needed for the transition to a greener economy, as well as provide them with social protection that facilitates the transition to new jobs, contributes to preventing poverty, and reduces the vulnerability of households and communities.
“Policy changes in these regions could offset the anticipated job losses or their negative impact. Low- and some middle- income countries still need support to develop data collection, and adopt and finance strategies towards a just transition to an environmentally sustainable economy and society that includes everyone from all groups of society,” says Catherine Saget, the lead author of the report.
Read more about the report here.
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