As the world moves towards a green economy, a recent report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) predicts that 24 million jobs will be created worldwide by 2030 if policies are put in place to promote a more environmentally-friendly economy.
According to World Employment and Social Issues 2018: A green, job-creating economy action to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius will result in enough job creation to more than offset the 6 million job losses elsewhere.
New jobs will be created through the adoption of sustainable practices in the energy sector, including changing the energy mix, promoting the use of electric vehicles and improving the energy efficiency of buildings.
Ecosystem services - including air and water purification, soil renewal and fertilization, pest control, pollination and protection against extreme weather conditions - contribute, among other things, to the preservation of agriculture, fisheries, forestry and tourism, which employ 1.2 billion workers.
But the predicted rise in temperatures will make heat stress, particularly in agriculture, a common phenomenon. It can lead to serious health problems, including heat stroke and exhaustion. The report calculates that heat stress will cause a global loss of 2% of hours worked by 2030 due to illness.
"The report's findings underline that jobs depend to a large extent on the quality of the environment and the services it provides. The green economy can enable millions more people to overcome poverty and provide better living conditions for this and future generations. It's a positive, hopeful message in a world of complex choices." Deborah Greenfield, ILO Deputy Director-General.
On a regional level, net new jobs will be created in the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe, amounting to 3, 14 and 2 million respectively, thanks to measures taken in energy production and consumption.
On the other hand, there could be net job losses in the Middle East (-0.48%) and Africa (-0.04%) if current trends continue, due to these regions' dependence on fossil fuels and mining respectively.
The report calls on countries to take urgent action to train workers in the skills required by the ecological transformation of the economy, and to provide them with the social protection that will facilitate their transition to new jobs, help prevent poverty and reduce the vulnerability of households and communities.
"Policy changes in these regions could offset anticipated job losses or their negative effects. Low-income countries and some middle-income countries still need help to develop data collection and to adopt and finance strategies for a just transition to an environmentally sustainable economy and a society that includes everyone, at all levels of society", stresses Catherine Saget, lead author of the report.
While measures taken to combat climate change can sometimes result in short-term job losses, their negative impact can be reduced through appropriate policies.
The report advocates synergies between environmental and social protection policies that would support both workers' incomes and the transition to a green economy. A policy mix comprising financial transfers, enhanced social insurance and limits on the use of fossil fuels would result in faster economic growth, more job creation, fairer income distribution and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Countries need to take urgent steps to anticipate the skills needs associated with the transition to green economies, and to offer new training programs. The transition to more sustainable farming systems would create jobs on medium-sized and large organic farms, and enable smallholders to diversify their sources of income, especially if farmers have the right skills.
The report also shows that environmental legislation, regulations and policies that integrate labor issues offer a powerful means of advancing the ILO's Decent Work Agenda and its environmental objectives.
"Social dialogue, which enables employers and workers to participate in policy-making alongside governments, has an essential role to play in reconciling economic and social objectives with environmental concerns. There are cases where this type of dialogue not only helps to reduce the environmental impact of policies, but also avoids negative repercussions on employment or working conditions," concludes Ms. Saget.