Greater eco-innovation investment will result in more green jobs, claims report
Eco-innovation, the development of products and services that contribute to sustainable development, can spur growth and create new green jobs, a recent report by MEP Karin Kadenbach has claimed. The report, titled "Eco-innovation - Jobs and Growth through environmental policy” calls on the European Commission to invest more resources to boost eco-innovation among EU Member States.
Unlike jobs in other sectors which have seen steep losses in many cases, the number of green jobs in Europe has risen significantly, with 600,000 added between 2004 and 2008. European eco-industries have an annual turnover of €319 billion and currently employ 3.4 million people. Green jobs are also usually well paid and involve better working conditions than jobs in other sectors.
The need for greater clarity of the term “green jobs” is stressed in the report, as the existing definition gives no information on the nature of the occupation. “An improved definition should also include some minimum standards of working conditions and calculate the net employment effects for the creation of green jobs and growth” it states. The report was discussed and approved by the European Parliament on 12 December 2013.
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