Green economy

The European Commission today presented a package on the green economy and green job creation in Europe. The Greens welcomed the Commission’s recognition of the need and the job potential of sustainably transforming our economy but regretted the lack of concrete proposals in the plan. Commenting on the communication, Green employment spokesperson Jean Lambert said:

“The Commission’s recognition that the shift to a green and resource efficient economy is an opportunity offering the potential for significant employment creation is welcome While today’s plan is short on concrete proposals, it points the way forward and must be used as an impetus for practical proposals in the coming legislative term.

“The Greens have been pushing for a Green New Deal to stimulate a sustainable transformation of our economy and create quality, long-term jobs in the EU for some time, so we are pleased the Commission agrees with us. The Commission must now move fast and maximise the potential of green jobs across a number of sectors, all the more so in the context of the economic crisis. We also welcome the recognition by the Commission that a shift towards environmental taxation and more sustainable public procurement can play important roles.

“However, to truly deliver this change we need a clear direction of travel for investment and innovation. This means a strong and stable regulatory framework, with ambitious binding 2030 EU targets on energy saving, resource efficiency and renewable energy, with strong indicators to measure progress towards these targets. We really regret that the communication also fails to assess how to create quality jobs and a climate supportive for change in the labour market. The incoming European Commission must fill in these gaps and fast, if we are to tackle both unemployment and climate change rather than simply express good intentions.”