Green jobs, also called a green-collared jobs are, according to the United Nations Environment Program, "work in agricultural, manufacturing, research and development (R&D), administrative, and service activities that contribute(s) substantially to preserving or restoring environmental quality. Specifically, but not exclusively, this includes jobs that help to protect ecosystems and biodiversity; reduce energy, materials, and water consumption through high efficiency strategies; de-carbonize the economy; and minimize or altogether avoid generation of all forms of waste and pollution." The environmental sector has the dual benefit of mitigating environmental challanges as well as helping economic growth.
Maps, Directions, and Place Reviews
Green Jobs and Workforce Education
The National Council for Workforce Education and AED published a report, Going Green: Going Green: The Vital Role of Community Colleges in Building a Sustainable Future and a Green Workforce that examines how workforce education and community colleges contribute to the overall efforts in the move toward renewable and clean energy. The report gives examples of initiatives currently in effect nationally as well as offering information as to how to implement programs.
In response to high unemployment and a distressed economy workers need skills that are relevant to their specific geographical locations. "Instead of making green jobs we need to make jobs green" says Ken Warden, an administrator in workforce education.
There are a lot of solar industry jobs. The SEIA maintains a resource for those looking for solar jobs. A 2016 study indicates that the declining coal industry could protect their workers by retraining them for the solar industry. There is also some indications that the solar industry "welcomes coal workers with open arms".
Green Energy Job Training Video
Green Growth
Eco-innovation is a key driver of the creation of environmental jobs. Innovation simultaneously increases labor productivity and wages while increasing energy and environmental production efficiency.
United States
A 2004 study by the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory (RAEL) at UC Berkeley reported that the renewable energy sector generates more jobs than the fossil fuel-based energy sector per unit of energy delivered (i.e., per average megawatt) across a broad range of scenarios. Contrarily, a report by Gabriel Calzada Alvarez analyzing the impact of an eleven-year Green energy project in Spain concluded that the U.S. should expect a loss of at least 2.2 jobs on average for each "green job" created, or about 9 jobs lost for every 4 created, in addition to those jobs that non-subsidized investments with the same resources would have created. A rebuttal to the Spanish study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) presented numerous allegations of methodological flaws in the Spanish study, citing outdated data, non-standard measures of job creation, and a lack of accompanying statistical analysis among the limitations of the study.
In 2010, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) received funding to analyze data about green jobs. The goal of this initiative is to [map] "(1) the number of and trend over time in green jobs, (2) the industrial, occupational, and geographic distribution of the jobs, and (3) the wages of the workers in these jobs."
In September 2010, the BLS published its final definition of green jobs in the Federal Register, organizing them in 2 types: A) Jobs in businesses that produce goods and provide services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources. Type A) green jobs are further divided in 5 categories. B) Jobs in which workers' duties involve making their establishment's production processes more environmentally friendly or use fewer natural resources. Type B) jobs are further divided in 4 categories.
In 2011, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported green employment accounted for 3.1 million jobs or 2.4% of total employment in 2010 and 3.4 million jobs or 2.6% of total US employment
Under Obama Administration 2009-2017
Under Trump Administration 2017- Present
On January 23, 2017 President Trump signed executive order regarding a hiring freeze on government positions across the executive branch. Additionally Trump placed a hold on grants distributed through the EPA that could amount to 4 billion dollars per year. The measure was recanted days later but Trump has proclaimed his intent to "drastically cut the EPA". Myron Ebell, a former member of the Trump transition team, when asked about United States Environmental Protection Agency cuts in an interview with Associated Press, responded "Let's aim [to cut] for half and see how it works out, and then maybe we'll want to go further".
In the 2018 "Make America Great Again Blueprint", the Trump administration has cut funding for the EPA by 31% and discontinued funding for the Clean Power Plan, international climate change programs, climate change research and partnership programs, and related efforts. "These proposed cuts could eliminate 3,200 EPA employees, or 19 percent of the current workforce as the Trump administration seeks to roll back Obama era environmental protections like the Clean Power Plan. The plan seeks to eliminate more than 50 EPA programs and cut funding for specific regional efforts such as the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the Chesapeake Bay, and other geographic programs".
The details are still very much in flux but it is apparent that the Trump administration intends on cutting the breath and reach of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Canada
A 2011, Canadian report by the Pembina Institute found that the Canada's governments could create more jobs by implementing strong climate policies than by continuing with business as usual.
Green Jobs Initiatives
UNEP Green Jobs Initiative
In 2008 the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Labor Organization (ILO), the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), and the International Employers Organization (IEO) jointly launched the Green Jobs Initiative. The purpose is to bring a just transition to a green economy by providing space for workers, employers, and governments to negotiate on policy effective in providing equitable opportunity to green jobs.
USA Green Jobs Act 2007
The Green Jobs Act of 2007 (H.R. 2847), introduced by Reps. Hilda Solis (D-CA) and John Tierney (D-MA), "authorized up to $125 million in funding to establish national and state job training programs, administered by the U.S. Department of Labor, to help address job shortages that are impairing growth in green industries, such as energy efficient buildings and construction, renewable electric power, energy efficient vehicles, and biofuels development." The Energy Independence and Security Act passed in December 2007 incorporates the Green Jobs Act of 2007.
Additionally, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), passed in early 2009, includes provisions for new jobs in industries such as energy, utilities, construction, and manufacturing with a focus toward energy efficiency and more environmentally-friendly practices.
In March 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama appointed Van Jones as Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). Following Jones' resignation in September 2009, no further candidates appear to have been appointed to this position.
Pathways out of Poverty
Pathways out of Poverty (POP) is a national workforce training program that was established on August 14, 2009 by the Obama administration and funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. POP targets individuals living below or near the poverty level to provide them with skills needed to enter the green job market, focusing on the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries. The training programs focus on teaching basic literacy and job readiness skills. Some of the programs also provide supportive assistance with childcare and transportation to overcome barriers to employment.
Racial Inequity
Green jobs are disproportionately occupied by white men. In 1990, minorities consisted of 1.9 percent (14 out of the 745) of workers for four of the largest environmental organizations (Natural Resources Defense Council, Friends of the Earth, Audobon Society, and Sierra Club). Out of sixty-three mainstream environmental organizations, 32 percent have no minorities staffed, 22 percent have no board members of color, 19 percent have no volunteers of color, 16 percent have no members of color. The demographics in green jobs is a direct reflection of the whiteness of environmentalism. Environmental lawyers as well are disproportionately white and affluent, and they focus on environmental issues based on aesthetics, recreation, and protecting natural lands outside of their communities; they often do not face environmental problems in their communities. Grassroots environmental activists are often from low-income communities and are people of color who face environmental discrimination due to superfund sites, landfills, incinerators and other health hazards. These activists are not often employed in green jobs; they engage in activism to secure the health of their family and immediate community from health conditions and even death.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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