The choice between protecting jobs or the environment is a false one. Green jobs allow us to do both. A green job (sometimes also called a clean energy job or climate safe) is a job that helps us address the environmental challenges we face. As we make the shift to low carbon economies, green jobs are expected to boom. For instance, the CSIRO predicts that 2.7 million new jobs will be created in Australia by 2025 if we aim to become carbon neutral by 2050. Many will be green jobs. Globally, governments are realising that green stimulus packages can help us avoid job losses from recession and address major environmental problems at the same time. The US has set a target to create 5 million new green jobs, while the UK is aiming to create 1 million new green jobs. We already have lots of green jobs in Victoria. For example, 700 people are employed in the solar water heating industry. Around 6000 people are employed in rail manufacturing. And 6500 people are employed in recycling in Victoria. Recently, we held a jobs summit with our friends from the Brotherhood of St Laurence to explore the opportunities for Victoria to lead the way in green jobs.
Read more about it
– Watch key speakers talk about the exciting possibilities
– One million green jobs are out there
– Download some of the presentation papers below
Mark Wakeham, Campaigns Director, Environment Victoria
Erwin Jackson, Director, Policy and Research, the Climate Institute
Julius Roe, National President, Australian Manufacturing Workers Union
Michael Horn, Senior Manager, Research & Policy, Brotherhood of St Laurence
Paul Murfitt, Moreland Energy Foundation
Professor William Mitchell, Director, Centre of Full Employment and Equity, University of Newcastle
Sally Sinclair, Chief Executive Officer, National Employment Services Association
Tim Piper, Director-Victoria, Australian Industry Group
We released a major report – Victoria: The Green Jobs State – that showed that we can create 26,000 new jobs for Victorians in just five years across just five industries. It’s totally true
It’s just good business
Globally, our economies are in the doldrums. Stories of recession, jobs losses and failed businesses have been told all too frequently. And Australia’s economy hasn’t been immune.
Meanwhile, the world’s scientists are growing more and more alarmed at the extent of the climate crisis. They’re calling for urgent and wide-spread action to reduce our emissions.
Sounds like a double whammy of bad news, doesn’t it?
Amidst all this doom and gloom, however, a new global understanding is emerging – we can renew our economies and address the environmental challenges we face. And we can do it at the same time.
It’s now clear that the choice between protecting jobs and protecting the environment is a false one. Green jobs – that help our environment – can do both.
more resources
Green Gold Rush: How Ambitious Environmental Policy Can Make Australia a Leader in the Global Race for Green Jobs, ACF and ACTU study. Check it out
2009 Statement of Government Intentions, Victorian Government. Read it
Green Jobs: Towards Decent Work in a Sustainable, Low-Carbon World, United Nations Environment Program. Download it
Growing the Green Collar Economy: Skills and Labour Challenges in Reducing Our Greenhouse Emissions and National Environmental Footprint. CSIRO. Get into it
Victoria’s Greenhouse Opportunity Set: New Growth Prospects in a Carbon Constrained World, Allen Consulting Group. Open it up
Green Jobs and Green Skills, Sharan Burrow Speech, 4 March 2009. Listen to it