NEWS

Study sees opportunities as U.S. curbs emissions, energy use

06/04/2008

Robin Bravender, E&ENews PM reporter

Millions of workers in trucking, construction and other trades would see higher wages and more job opportunities in U.S. efforts to boost energy efficiency and fight global warming, according to a new study.

"New job activities will certainly be created in building the green economy and implementing global warming solutions, such as installing solar panels and researching new ways to build efficient biofuel engines," says the study, which was released this week by the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and sponsored in part by the Center for American Progress.

"But the vast majority of green jobs are in the same areas of employment that people already work in today, in every region and state of the country," the report continues.

In other words, greening industries will need roofers, insulators and engineers to make old buildings more energy efficient; electricians to help mass transit run more cleanly; and welders to make automobiles that guzzle less gasoline.

But the study sees demand for such labor increasing, which could mean higher wages and more job security.

For example, the country’s 168,000 sheet metal workers now earn between $15.50 and $27 per hour, according to the study. But rising demand for wind energy could mean higher demand and higher average wages as workers are employed to build turbines for wind farms.

The trucking industry, which employs 1.7 million people, could also see gains as truckers are employed to transport supplies for green projects.

"Construction materials are a large sector of the trucking market," said Clayton Boyce, vice president of public affairs for the American Trucking Associations. "If we do see more construction of windmills and energy-efficient buildings, it would add to that market."

Overall, the sectors important to the green economy employ more than 14 million people, about 9 percent of the total U.S. work force. And green jobs will create spinoff employment for support services from accountants, lawyers, office clerks, human resource managers, cashiers and retail sales employees, the study says.

Green jobs proponents say including these work forces in a greener economy will help solve social as well as environmental ills.

"This report demonstrates that given the right strategies, green jobs can be the engine that allows us to build an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift a lot of people out of poverty," Van Jones, founder and president of Green For All, said in a statement released by the Sierra Club. "With good policies and strong investments that prepare people who most need work for the work that most needs to be done, green jobs can fight poverty and global warming pollution at the same time."

Click here to read the study.