Green steam vs the big smog: London’s green jobs to double to 600,000 by 2030 – CityAM : CityAM
The UK’s push for net zero will double the number of green jobs in London to 600,000 by 2030, according to new research.
The findings, by WPI Economics and the Institute for Employment Studies and commissioned by Central London Forward, Local London, South London Partnership and West London Alliance, also revealed that the capital’s green economy is already worth £42bn and boasts a workforce of more than 230,000.
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Green jobs, loosely defined as roles that contribute to the preservation of the environment and climate, made up one in every 20 jobs last year.
And with the city gunning for a green recovery post-pandemic, it paints a rosy picture going into the UN’s flagship climate conference COP26 on Sunday.
“In the next decade, we will see hundreds of thousands of new green jobs created in the capital. If we are to seize this opportunity and if we are to ensure a successful transition to net zero, we will need to equip the workforce with the skills needed for the green jobs of the future,” said chair of Central London Forward and Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea councillor Elizabeth Campbell.
“London boroughs stand ready to work with central government and businesses to make this happen.”
The report comes hot on the tails of chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Autumn Budget, which outlined a £3bn investment in skills and education to help Brits find higher paid jobs.
The cash injection aims to fuel economic growth by increasing the provision of post-16 education and creating opportunities for people wishing to enter high value sectors such as AI, cybersecurity and nuclear.
Director of WPI Economics Matthew Oakley said the report highlights the “huge potential” of the green economy in the capital
“With the right employment support and skills provision in place, London’s sub-regions and boroughs can use the transition to extend good jobs to many who have previously been left out of the labour market. This can provide the basis of a just transition and foundations for inclusive growth in the capital and beyond,” he said.
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Green jobs on the way
Homes and buildings: Including retrofit, building new energy-efficient homes, heat pumps, smart devices and controls, heat networks and hydrogen boilers.
Low carbon transport: Including low or zero emission vehicles, aviation and maritime, rail, public transport and walking or cycling.
Power: Including renewables such as wind, solar and hydropower, nuclear power, grid infrastructure, energy storage and smart systems technology.
Industrial decarbonisation, hydrogen and carbon capture and storage: Including hydrogen production and industrial use, carbon capture, utilisation & storage (CCUS) and industrial decarbonisation.
Green Finance: Finance with the goal of net zero and decarbonisation, including green loans and bonds.
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Climate change research & development: Including private sector, academic and public research.
Climate change strategy, policy, monitoring and planning: Including public, private and NGO sector strategy and policy, outreach to citizens, environmental monitoring and use of planning system to achieve net zero.
Climate adaption: Including flood defences, retrofitting of buildings to be resilient to extreme weather or climate events, nature-based solutions to reduce climate impacts and civil and mechanical engineering for infrastructure adaptation.
Reducing localised pollution: Including air pollution, water pollution and noise; London has ambitious goals across all three of these areas.
Reduce, reuse, recycle: Including waste management and circular economy.
Green infrastructure: Within a London context this will focus on urban green infrastructure, and include activity aimed at increasing biodiversity directly or through offsetting.
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