Wednesday 24 May 2023
CCC: ‘Government support could see more than 700k jobs from net zero’
With the right level of government support, net zero could lead to 725,000 new jobs in green sectors.
That’s according to the Climate Change Committee (CCC), which has stated in its latest report that the UK’s net zero target provides a great opportunity to ‘level up’ the whole country.
As well as providing new jobs, the CCC also claims that less than 1% of Britain’s workforce will be impacted by the transition – with only certain industries such as oil and gas having to curtail operations.
Low carbon sectors that will benefit include built environment, with homes and buildings needing to be retrofitted, electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and renewable energy generation.
Regions that are expected to gain more employment opportunities include the North, East Midlands, Yorkshire and Humber – with many planned renewable energy projects being built in these areas.
CCC Chairman, Lord Deben, said: “The UK has committed to net zero. The only question is whether the government intends to get there in a way that benefits workers or leaves them behind.
“This is a unique moment to tailor our approach to skills and jobs, in the certainty of achieving the legal goal. A net zero workforce means secure employment for the future. This is an opportunity for the government to bring real meaning to levelling up.”
A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said: “Our plans for green jobs will ensure no workers are left behind – in fact, far from a hands-off approach, we are investing nearly £4 billion in supporting people to retrain and have seen £110 billion of new investment into renewables since 2012, helping industries across the economy to cut their emissions and become sustainable for the long term.
“On top of this, our plans to power up Britain are expected to attract a further £100 billion investment in green industries of the future and support 480,000 jobs by 2030, helping to level up communities across the country.”
