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
report by the International Labor Organization
(ILO) says. Action to achieve the objectives of the Paris
Agreement, to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius, will result in
sufficient job creation to more than offset job losses of 6 million elsewhere,
according to World
Employment and Social Outlook 2018: Greening with Jobs.
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, among others, farming, fishing, forestry and tourism activities, which
employ 1.2 billion workers.
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 per cent) and Africa (-0.04 per cent) if current trends continue, due to
the dependence of these regions on fossil fuel and mining, respectively.
There are also other key findings
from the report. For example, transitioning towards a ‘circular economy’ which includes activities like
recycling, repair, rent and remanufacture - replacing the traditional economic
model of “extracting, making, using and disposing” will create 6 million jobs.
Renewables-based electricity will create 2.5 million jobs, offsetting some
400,000 jobs lost in fossil fuel-based electricity generation. Although most
sectors of the economy will benefit from net job creation, petroleum extraction
and petroleum refining show losses of 1 million or more jobs.
The report calls on countries to
take urgent action to train workers in the skills needed for the transition to
a greener economy, and 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 the complete article here.