Green jobs

A new study, Green Jobs: Towards Decent Work in a Sustainable, Low-Carbon World, has been published by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the International Organization of Employers (IOE). The report of the study, available online from the ILO web site, says changing patterns of employment and investment resulting from efforts to reduce climate change and its effects are already generating new jobs in many sectors and economies, and could create millions more in both developed and developing countries. Green jobs reduce the environmental impact of enterprises and economic sectors, ultimately to levels that are sustainable. The report focuses on “green jobs” in agriculture, industry, services and administration that contribute to preserving or restoring the quality of the environment and calls for measures to ensure that they constitute “decent work” that helps reduce poverty while protecting the environment. The report also warns that the process of climate change, already underway, will continue to have negative effects on workers and their families, especially those whose livelihoods depend on agriculture and tourism.