Contrary to what some have come to believe, a UN report says that a shift to a cleaner world economy could generate as many as 60 million jobs over the next 20 years, lifting millions of people off the poverty line and delivering the world into a more sustainable future.
The organization is urging governments worldwide to use the upcoming Rio +20 Conference on Sustainable Development to help turn this into a reality with new ideas and plans to create jobs and clean up their energy acts.
A new report released by the International Labour Organisation, United Nations Environment Programme, and International Trade Union Congress states industries such as energy, construction, transport, and agriculture have created tens of millions of jobs. Over time, these industries will affect as many as 1.5 billion people, or half of the world’s working population.
Renewable energy now employs nearly 5 million workers, with jobs doubling between 2006 and 2010. The construction industry has taken the hardest hit after the economic crisis, but energy efficiency has helped it bounce back and put more people back to work.
The US environmental goods and services sector currently employs about 3 million people. In the UK, it employs just under 1 million. In the EU, there are 14.6 million jobs in the protection of biodiversity and rehabilitation of natural resources and forests.
Maybe now that it’s shown to be improving employment and the economy, right-wing climate deniers might stop hating on sustainability and give it a chance?