There is no clear consensus on what a “green job” actually is, evidence for which can be found in the UK government article, The challenges of defining a “green job”.
The new report Building Narratives for a Caring Green Economy adds another dimension to this discussion, that of care work:
a strong majority of respondents believe care should be central to climate, workforce, and infrastructure policies, and that respondents believe care work are green jobs. In the midst of intersecting economic crises, climate crises, and the ongoing infrastructure fights, these findings reiterate that people support bold economic investments that center care for people and the planet. Key findings from the polling include:
- “Green” jobs should refer to all jobs related to the well-being of people and the planet, and that includes care. 69% of all respondents agree that green jobs are any job related to the well-being of people and the planet.
- Polling shows that, although there is initially a bias against care jobs being perceived as “green jobs”, that bias erodes when exposed to specific narratives demonstrating that care is climate work.
- However, respondents find messages around care work being critical, green work and care infrastructure being critical to an equitable green economy persuasive and popular. Read the full article on Feminist Green New Deal.
It could be that a simpler definition of a “green job” emerges over time: all jobs that do not harm the environment are green jobs.