TUC - Green Jobs failure is letting down the communities that the PM promised to level up

New official figures today show that the number of green jobs down by over 30,000 compared to 2014

New figures published today (Monday) by the Office for National Statistics estimate that there were 202,100 green jobs in the UK in 2019, compared to 235,900 in 2014.

The worst hit green sectors include:

• The largest sector, energy efficient product manufacturing, where the number of jobs is down by a third (37,900 jobs or 32%)
• Carbon capture and storage, where the number of green jobs is down by two-third (66%)
• Other renewable electricity, where the number of green jobs is down by two-thirds (66%)
• Onshore wind, where the number of green jobs is down by a third (37%)

Despite the UK having more than twice the offshore windfarm capacity in 2019 as in 2014, the number of direct jobs supported by the offshore wind sector only grew by 14% (7,200 jobs in 2019, 6,300 in 2014).

The TUC says today’s figures pre-date the pandemic and do not take into account jobs lost during the crisis.

TUC commissioned research has shown that over a million green jobs can be created in the next two years if the government fast-tracks investment in the vital green infrastructure the UK needs.

This includes over 290,000 jobs retrofitting buildings, 24,000 jobs in electric vehicle charging infrastructure installation, and 35,000 jobs upgrading ports and factories for renewable energy.

The union body warns that Boris Johnson’s government is leaving Britain to fall behind other nations. In this year’s Budget the Chancellor has cut funding for green homes and put forward almost no new green investment.

By contrast, Germany’s recently announced public investment in green hydrogen is more than 10 times that of the UK. And the EU has announced a Just Transition Fund of up to €57bn.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“Climate action can bring major benefits to us all. New jobs in green industries can help us recover from the pandemic. And it will mean clean air, food security, and the restoration of Britain’s forests and wildlife.

“But progress is far too slow. Lots of towns and communities were promised the chance to level up with new jobs in green industries. But Boris Johnson’s government is not delivering.

“There should be a good news story to tell. Our research has shown how over a million green jobs can be created in the next two years if the government fast tracks green investment.

“We all know now this is the future we need. The government must come forward with ambitious plans to show strong leadership when the UK chairs the COP26 global conference on climate change this year.”

- TUC policy and analysis on green job creation: Research for the TUC by Transition Economics identified 1,240,000 green jobs that could be created in the next two years. It was published as part of the TUC report Rebuilding after recession: a plan for jobs in June 2020. A full copy of the report is here: https://www.tuc.org.uk/research-analysis/reports/rebuilding-after-recession-plan-jobs  

- Trade union policy on climate change: The trade union movement is committed to the UK target of achieving net zero emissions no later than 2050. The TUC document A just transition to a greener, fairer economy sets out the fundamental requirements for a fair transition to an economy with net zero emissions. You can read it here: https://www.tuc.org.uk/research-analysis/reports/just-transition-greener-fairer-economy

- EU Just Transition Fund:  More information can be found here: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/economy/20200903STO86310/just-transition-fund-help-eu-regions-adapt-to-green-economy

- About the TUC: The Trades Union Congress (TUC) exists to make the working world a better place for everyone. We bring together the 5.5 million working people who make up our 48 member unions. We support unions to grow and thrive, and we stand up for everyone who works for a living.