Turning green, a challenging transformation happening in the labour market. Millions of jobs will be created by new industries and innovative thinking in traditional ones, as part of growing the green collar economy. Jobs are to be kept and won through the implementation of green policies, practices, products and processes.
It became clearer by the day with events in the past weeks – at home and abroad – that the world can regain growth and jobs in these critical economic circumstances by turning green.
At the Climate Change at Work conference, I was excited to find myself sitting next to Dr Heinz Shcandl, Senior Science Leader from the CSIRO, and author of Growing the Green Collar Economy published in June 2008. Heinz addressed the delegates saying millions of jobs will be created by new industries and innovative thinking in traditional ones, as part of growing the green collar economy.
As Ken Hickson from ABC Carbon also observed, UNEP’s Global Green New Deal says it, and even though the headlines didn’t shout about it, the G20 communiqué from London said it also: “Build an inclusive, green and sustainable recovery”. This was further reinforced by these clear statements: “We will make the transition towards clean, innovative, resource efficient, low carbon technologies and infrastructure. We reaffirm our commitment to address the threat of irreversible climate change…and to reach agreement at the UN Climate Change conference in Copenhagen in December."
And back in Sydney, it was hard to ignore the voices and case studies from left, right and centre which showed that energy efficiency, renewable and sustainability means business. Jobs are to be kept and won through the implementation of green policies, practices, products and processes.
