A new report by PricewaterhouseCoopers [PwC] has concluded that the current rate of ‘green job’ generation is insufficient for the government to hit its target of two million roles by 2030.
So-called ‘green jobs’ are roles that directly contribute to reducing carbon emissions and tackling climate change, such as low-carbon farming positions, wind turbine maintenance and roles in green energy.
But in the year to July 2021, PwC found that such roles only accounted for 1.2 per cent of all advertised vacancies, equivalent to just 124,600 jobs.
In the prime minister’s ten-point plan for a “green industrial revolution”, generating more green jobs is listed as a priority measure, with £4 billion being invested into hitting the government’s 2030 target of two million roles.
But while the government’s plans include talk green job opportunities being generated in the more deprived areas of the country, concern remains that the transition to a green economy could impact more traditional roles in carbon emitting sectors, and that more affluent areas are seeing more green job creation currently.
Ranking regions according to factors such as green job creation; the benefits of green roles; carbon emissions from roles being advertised; and green workplaces, the report found that London and Scotland were ahead in transitioning to a green economy, with Wales, Northern Ireland and Yorkshire & the Humber trailing.
PwC chairman and senior partner, Kevin Ellis, suggested that it was important not only to hasten the transition toward net-zero, but also ensure that the distribution of green jobs accounted for previously left behind areas that need them so that the regional inequality gap does not widen.
He said: “Jobs are getting greener and this is cause for optimism, but evidence is needed on the level and distribution of these opportunities.
“Left unchecked, green employment will grow in the most fertile spots, but not necessarily where they're needed most. By acting now, we have a massive opportunity to rebalance the economy and ensure a fair transition.”
Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress [TUC] suggested earlier in the year that 660,000 jobs could be at risk if the UK cannot hit its net-zero target as quickly as some other countries.
Speaking to the BBC, a government spokesperson assured that green jobs were being generated across the whole UK.
“Hundreds of thousands of green jobs are being created across the country, and our landmark Net Zero Strategy sets out how the UK will accelerate this growth, unlocking £90 billion in private investment,” said the spokesperson.
“Our plans will see the majority of new green jobs to be created and supported outside London and the southeast, with our shift to a low carbon economy providing an unprecedented opportunity to attract new, future-proof businesses in our industrial heartlands.”
Photo by Anders J on Unsplash
