Context
Recently, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned India’s efforts to create ‘green jobs’, on the occasion of World Environment Day.
What are Green Jobs?
- ‘Green jobs’ refer to a class of jobs that directly have a positive impact on the planet, and contribute to the overall environmental welfare.
- Job category: Jobs involving renewable energy, conservation of resources, and ensuring energy-efficient means are categorized under the green jobs.
- In all, they’re aimed at reducing the negative environmental impact of economic sectors and furthering the process of creating a low-carbon economy.
- The idea behind a low-carbon economy or decarbonisation is fairly simple.
- It is about maintaining a sustainable economy, one that doesn’t lead to vast emissions of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide.
India and ‘green jobs’
- The Skill Council for Green Jobs (SCGJ) was launched by the Union government on October 1, 2015 under the Societies Registration Act XXI, 1860.
- Aligned to the National Skill Development Missions, it was set up to be a not-for-profit, independent, industry-led initiative.
National Skill Development Mission
- The National Skill Development Mission launched by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship on July 15, 2015,
- Aim: to create convergence across sectors and States in terms of skill training activities.
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- It is promoted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
- It aims to help manufacturers and other service providers in India’s ‘green business’ sector to implement industry-led, collaborative skills to push the country on the path to realising the potential of ‘green jobs’.
About Green Jobs Initiative
- This initiative was launched collectively in 2008 by-
- The International Labour Organization (ILO)
- The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
- The International Organization of Employers (IOE)
- The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
- The Green Jobs Initiative aimed at bettering placements, training and creating opportunities for individuals to work in ‘green jobs’.
- It promotes opportunity, equity and a just transition towards green economy and solutions to defining challenges such as sustainable development and climate change.
- It encourages governments, employers and workers to collaborate on coherent policies and programmes to realize a sustainable and just transition with green jobs and decent work for all.
- The project aims to support its constituents, namely government, enterprises, and workers, to move towards a socially fair transition to low carbon and green economy at national and local level.
