Green jobs

In news-At an event to mark World Environment Day recently, Prime Minister of India mentioned India’s efforts to create ‘green jobs’.

What are ‘green jobs’?

‘Green jobs’ refer to a class of jobs that directly have a positive impact on the planet, and contribute to the overall environmental welfare.
Jobs involving renewable energy, conservation of resources, ensuring energy efficient means are categorised under the same.
In all, they’re aimed at reducing the negative environmental impact of economic sectors and furthering the process of creating a low-carbon economy.
The idea behind a low-carbon economy or decarbonisation is about maintaining a sustainable economy, one that doesn’t lead to vast emissions of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide.
The United Nations defines green jobs as sectors and jobs in which waste creation and pollution is minimised.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) includes in its definition of green jobs any sector that has a lower than average environmental footprint (ILO, 2012).

India’s initiative related to ‘green jobs’-

The Skill Council for Green Jobs was launched by the Union government on October 1, 2015.
Aligned to the National Skill Development Missions, it was set up to be a not-for-profit, independent, industry-led initiative.
Promoted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the council aims to help manufacturers and other service providers in India’s ‘green business’ sector to implement industry-led, collaborative skills push the country on the path to truly realising the real potential and significance of ‘green jobs’.
Awareness and training of individuals regarding green jobs skills will ensure limiting greenhouse gas emissions, minimising waste and pollution, protect and restore ecosystems, and support adaptation to the effects of climate change.
According to the ILO, India moving to a green economy by the next decade would alone create about 3 million jobs in the renewable energy sector.
The renewable energy sector created about 47,000 new jobs in 2017 accounting for a 12% increase in just the span of a year.

Scenario across the world-

The United Nations Environment Programme’s(UNEP) 2019 Emissions Gap report dictates that it is essential for greenhouse gas emissions to reduce by 7.6% per annum between the years 2020 to 2030 in order to reach the target that was set during the Paris Agreement.
The International Labour Organisation, the International Trade Union Confederation, the UNEP and the International Employers Organisation collectively launched the Green Jobs Initiative in 2008, aimed at bettering placements, training and creating opportunities for individuals to work in ‘green jobs’.