Environment-Friendly Products Output to Double

Sept. 24, 2008
In France the energy efficiency and renewable sectors already employ more than the car industry.

Production of environmentally friendly goods is set to double, with sales estimated to be $2.7 billion a year by 2020, a report released on Sept. 24 at the United Nations said. "We are not talking about niche markets anymore. We are talking about millions of jobs that are emerging across the global economy," said Achim Steiner, UN Environment Program executive director.

"It is the entrepreneurial world, because of what is happening in terms of the natural resources markets on the global market place, that is pushing for this," he told journalists at the UN General Assembly in New York.

The program's report on the green industry said that 2.3 million people are employed in the renewable energy sector alone -- half of them in developing countries. About 2.1 million could be working in wind energy and 6.3 million in solar energy by 2030, the report said. Already the renewable energy industry employs more people than the fossil fuels sector, according to the report.

"The transition has already started," said Juan Somavia, director general of the International Labour Organization.

"In Germany renewable the energy sector will be larger that automobile and machine manufacturing in the next ten years. In France the energy efficiency and renewable sector already employs more than the car industry," he said.

But Somavia also cautioned: "We need to make sure that green jobs are decent jobs. Millions of workers are involved in recycling discarded computers are mobile phones, but they are often in bad quality jobs: the first thing that goes to the recycle bin are safety and healthy rules."

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2008

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

Why DataOps may be the key to unlocking the full potential of digital transformation

Nov. 3, 2023
Read the 2023 market survey conducted by IndustryWeek

How to Build Zero-Cost On-Site Solar and Storage Projects

Nov. 25, 2023
The Inflation Reduction Act offers tax credits, incentives, and financing that enable no-cost projects. In Enel’s eBook, discover the critical role that incentives play in your...

How Manufacturers Can Optimize Operations with Weather Intelligence

Nov. 2, 2023
The bad news? Severe weather has emerged as one of the biggest threats to continuity and safety in manufacturing. The good news? The intelligence solutions that build weather ...

Disruptive EV Technologies Are Driving New Supplier Realities

Sept. 20, 2023
Vehicle electrification is upending the automotive landscape, forcing suppliers to make critical strategic and operational decisions. Understand what that means for you in our...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!