GREEN JOBS WILL GET US OUT OF RECESSION SAYS TUCCreating thousands of green jobs could not only help the UK slash its CO2 emissions, but investment in a new low carbon workforce could also limit the length and severity of the current recession, says the TUC.But the union organisation warns against the Government taking a back seat and leaving it to the market to set the pace of transition to a green economy. In Unlocking Green Enterprise: A Low Carbon Strategy for the UK Economy, the TUC says that it is up to ministers to create the conditions that will allow the UK to keep up with European competitors such as Denmark and Germany, who have developed much bigger green industries.Unlocking green enterprise: will involve pushing the UK in a greener direction, the Government must first convince business that it is serious about the environment and that green issues will be at the top of the political agenda even after the economy recovers. Ministers should be promoting the environmental message to the public, and where necessary introducing financial incentives to encourage both consumers and business to go greener.The TUC also urges the Government to assess the kind of workforce and skills that will be needed in the green economy. The UK will need more designers and engineers, and also workers qualified to install and maintain the new renewable energy technologies. Ministers need to act to ensure suitable degree courses and training schemes are in place, says the TUC.One of the current barriers to unlocking green enterprise in the UK, says the TUC, is down to the current cost of goods and services not reflecting their actual impact on the environment, leaving companies with little incentive to introduce costlier, greener alternatives. This in turn makes it less likely than firms will invest in new green products and keeps consumer demand low. All of which underlines the need for Government action now to ensure the future success of the UK economy, says the TUC.TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:'Everyone is talking about how the banks and irresponsible lending got the world into the economic mess it currently finds itself in, but not much is being said about how we lift ourselves out of the slowdown.'Government action now to invest in low carbon technologies and in the skills to develop a new green workforce should mean the current recession is much shorter and shallower for UK businesses.'But as our European neighbours show, it is only through governments - not the market - creating the right conditions, investing and changing laws where necessary, that a new green, sustainable workforce can emerge.View the original article hereTUC - Unlocking Green EnterpriseFor the very latest renewable energy jobs please click here |