Green Jobs
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.
In 2009, 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
Grab the latest buzz on green jobs below.
Australian cleantech industry nears $30bn – bigger than car making
18 March 2013
Giles Parkinson, Renew Economy
The Australian cleantech sector boasts revenue of $29 billion a year and employs 53,000 people, making it larger than...
moreIsland wind farm to produce power for Victoria
28 November 2012
The World Today ABC
TRANSCRIPT
ELEANOR HALL: Tasmania's King Island is famous for its cheese and beef but it's also set to become the site of...
moreSA windfall after Vic turbine change
25 July 2012
Cimara Pearce, Weekly Times
SOUTH Australia's wind farm industry is cashing in on Victoria's strict planning guidelines.
More than $5 billion of capital investment in the wind industry was pumped...
moreClimate, land, biodiversity face biggest cuts
Wednesday, 2 May 2012
Adam Morton, The Age
Spending on environmental programs will be cut by $130.6 million next financial year - the biggest reduction for any department.
The cuts to the Department of...
moreBudget continues Baillieu Government’s record of environmental failure
Tuesday, 1 May 2012
Environment Victoria has described today State budget as “deeply disappointing” and said it continues the Baillieu Government’s record of...
moreCoalition urged to increase home energy ratings
Monday, April 9 2012
Tom Arup, The Age
Environment and welfare groups have questioned a lack of progress by the Baillieu government on its election promise to...
moreCarbon target scrapped
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Josh Gordon and Tom Arup, The Age
A plan to cut Victoria’s greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent over the next decade is set to be dumped by the Baillieu government on the basis that it would merely...
moreNew poll finds Victorians want clean energy action. Is Premier Baillieu listening?
Friday, 9 March 2012
A new survey of attitudes on the environment has found that most Victorians believe the state government has a responsibility to reduce greenhouse pollution....
moreState fudges carbon figures
Wednesday, 21 September 2011
Adam Morton, The Age
The Baillieu government's credibility on climate change has been undermined after economic modelling that it commissioned contradicted its own claims that Victoria would be...
moreGreen Jobs plan a welcome investment for our future
Friday, 30 April 2010
Environment Victoria welcomed the state government’s Green Jobs Action Plan released by Premier Brumby today.
The Plan, in development for the past year, will create new green jobs...
more
Twitter
Put your money where your mouth is
How you invest and manage your money can have a big impact on our environment. So why not take the Ethical Money Challenge, to ensure that your money is used to create the future you want?
So you’ve tried green cleaning, riding to work and eating green. You’re a real green...
more
How many light bulbs does it take to change the world?
At 8.30pm this Sat March 23, millions of Earthlings will switch off the lights for Earth Hour, in a symbolic act of solidarity for climate action.
It’s a great chance to show our leaders that we humanoids DO care about the planet, and to raise public awareness about climate...
more
We can’t adapt to 50 degree days
It’s hot outside today. It’s been hot since the start of the year. In fact, the Bureau of Meteorology says six of the first seven days of 2013 were among Australia’s hottest 20 days on record. Tasmania is dealing with the hopelessness of the bushfire aftermath that we...
more
Renewables = jobs
The myth perpetuated by the coal industry that renewables are the enemy of jobs is officially busted! Three times as many Victorians are employed in the solar industry as in coal.
One of these industries is fuelling climate change - one has a clean bill of health. It's not...
more
Victorian brown coal exports - pipedream or nightmare?
Successive Victorian Governments have eyed Victoria’s brown coal resources and seen a bonanza in waiting. With the world’s second largest brown coal deposit, with an estimated resource of 430 billion tonnes, it's perhaps not surprising governments see dollar signs and forget about...
more
Flickr
- The Quick Guide to our Community Climate Action Plan |
- 2011 Annual Report |
- Climate Change and Jobs |
- Coal export plans should be rejected |
- Community tells Premier: world does not need our dirty coal |
- Green group says the beverage industry is “frothing at the mouth” |
- Green Jobs plan a welcome investment for our future |
- New poll finds Victorians want clean energy action. Is Premier Baillieu listening? |
- Budget continues Baillieu Government’s record of environmental failure |
