According to a report looking at how green jobs have changed in California, the research organization Next 10 found that green jobs are surpassing the overall economy, with the Bay Area and San Diego leading the way. With tons of clean energy generation and investment in the state, over 20,000 jobs have been created since 1995, while over 200,000 employees reported spending half their time on producing green products and services.
In the second edition of its Many Shades of Green report, Next 10 examined changes in green employment, businesses and industries in different regions of California from 2008-2009. According to the report, green jobs have grown by 3 percent while overall job growth has grown less than 1 percent from 2008-2009 in California, which is the most recent for which data is available. Furthermore, the Bay Area and San Diego regions are leading among the 11 regions examined in the state with job growth rates of an impressive 8 and 7 percent.
Next 10 refers to the job growth as a direct effect of the “core green economy,” which includes businesses that provide products and services that are alternatives to carbon-based energy, conserve energy, conserve natural resources, reduce pollution and repurpose waste. The remainder of green jobs fall under “adaptive green economy,” covering business founded on principles of sustainability.
Next 10 predicts California’s global leadership in green innovation to continue to flourish, attracting billions of dollars in investment. Research included in a 2010 California Green Innovation Index states that green manufacturing jobs are growing while conventional manufacturing jobs are in decline, and California has profited form efforts to improve energy efficiency and reduce its carbon footprint. Furthermore, this year’s index found that California’s electricity productivity is leading the way in the entire nation and more businesses are starting up in the state than are leaving or shutting down.
“The Green job data is significant because these jobs are growing in every region across the state, outpacing other vital sectors, and generating business across the supply chain,” F. Noel Perry, Next 10’s founder, said in a statement. “There are very few business sectors in a state as large as California that employ people across every region. The emergence of this vibrant Core Green Economy can be attributed to California’s history of innovation, as well as our forward-looking energy and energy efficiency policies.”
Links: www.next10.org
