Climate change 'boosts jobs'
Climate change has opened up a number of areas for employment, Unep head says
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Friday, 07, Dec 2007 03:25
Tackling climate change will boost employment opportunities, the head of the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) has said.
Achim Steiner described the "millions" of potential jobs as being "among the many, if not indeed gold-plated, linings on the cloud of climate change".
His comments come during key UN talks on the environment in Bali and follow research commissioned by Unep into employment and climate change.
This study outlined a number of sectors that more jobs will become available in, including construction, sustainable forestry, agriculture, engineering and transportation.
In the US alone the environmental industry in 2005 generated more than 5.3 million jobs while in Germany and Spain the renewable energy industries have already created several thousand jobs after a few years of existence.
The research estimates that in Europe a 20 per cent increase in energy efficiency would create about a million jobs.
"Talk of environmental sustainability and climate change often emphasises the costs, but downplays the significant employment opportunities from the transition to a global economy that is not only resource efficient and without the huge emissions of greenhouse gases, but one that also restores environmental and social values," said Mr Steiner.
How to address climate change once the Kyoto treaty expires in 2012 is being addressed by representatives from over 180 countries in Bali.
UN general secretary Ban Ki-moon believes "a new and comprehensive agreement that all nations can embrace" is vital to prevent and reduce global warming.