New Green Jobs ??

For the first post of 2009, I thought I would put up two articles about the the creation of new green jobs as part of efforts to reduce the impact of the economic crisis.

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The first is Gordon Brown's programme to create 100,000 jobs in the UK and the second is about Barack Obama's pledge to create 5 million green jobs in the United States by Kathleen Rogers (the president of Earth Day Network).

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More green jobs sounds good in practice, but what type of green jobs are they going to create and will the new green infrastructure be sufficient to ensure that the US and UK move quickly towards sustainability. As always, the devil is in the details of the plans. I will have to see if I can read a bit more commentary on the initiatives (from all sides) to see if I can find out more about the programs.

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Building a new green economy will be complex and difficult. It is important to realise that although many people and businesses want their government to get policy on important issues 'right' there are differing views on what should be done. Just consider the different responses (and their critiques) to the economic crises faced by many countries. There are also widely differing views on what a new greener economy should look like. Nuclear versus clean coal, for example, or issues arising from which industries should get financial aid (and create new jobs) and which ones miss out (and possible face a bleak future).

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Here is the intro to the first article from the BBC news:
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(UK) PM 'to create 100,000 new jobs'

Sunday, 4 January 2009

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Prime Minister Gordon Brown has revealed details of a programme to create 100,000 jobs as part of a new initiative to curb rising unemployment. Mr Brown told The Observer of a programme of investment in new technologies and green projects. He said improving the environment was part of the solution to the recession. The government plans to bring forward £10bn of spending on public works, digital technology and environmental projects to create new jobs. Investments will be made in eco-friendly projects such as electric cars and wind and wave power, which will create jobs.

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More here
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Here is the second:
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(US) Pursuing a 'green' economic stimulus
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By Kathleen Rogers
American Forum
January 04, 2009

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A massive stimulus package of nearly $600 billion holds promise for the economy, and could mean more federal spending on infrastructure and energy efficiency projects. An estimated $400 billion in that bill will repair lots of bridges and roads, but what will they all lead to? Nothing — unless we first start building bridges and roads between our economic, climate and education concerns, and start appreciating the way they're all connected.Few other national topics are as timely as a discussion of how to build a new green economy nationwide. During his campaign Obama promised to create 5 million green jobs. It is this way of thinking that should shape our country's future.

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More here
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Update:
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Japan, South Korea to Create New Pro-Environment Jobs

Japan and South Korea have announced plans to create tens of thousands of new jobs aimed at boosting the economy while protecting the environment.The Japanese environment ministry says it is preparing a so-called "Green New Deal Plan" to create at least one million new jobs in energy-saving and other environment-friendly technologies.
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