Tens of millions of jobs could be created around the world in the coming years, the Center for American Progress suggested in a report entitled Low-Carbon Jobs in an Interconnected World. But the report pointed to four key steps that governments must take to promote job development.
The first, CAP said, is that jobs in low-carbon industries are contingent on the passage of government policies that promote increased use of renewable energy. The report's authors point to the pending cap-and-trade legislation in the U.S. as an example of a policy that drives green energy innovation and job creation.
Second, stimulus funding is essential to increased green energy uptake. Credit markets are still relatively constrained, CAP noted, and government funding is necessary for green energy projects to get off the ground.
Third, workforce training will be key in building the green energy economy of the future. Governments can address this by identifying "skills gaps" that may exist.
Finally, CAP recognized that jobs were likely to be lost in the green energy transition and suggested that governments play a role in retraining employees from industries that would downsize.
