Green Workers Feel Safe Amid Slump

[irishbobcat]

Green Workers Feel Safe Amid Slump
 

  Jun 4, 2009
New York Times
   
By James Kanter

More than two-thirds of workers with "green jobs" said attention on climate issues among governments and businesses had increased their sense of job security, according to the first Carbon Salary Survey by Reuters.

The survey found that three-quarters of respondents were satisfied with their jobs, while 93 percent said they would recommend a career in the environmental sector to others.

It also suggested that those working in the financial and legal sectors had the highest average salaries, at $116,000, as well as entitlement to annual bonuses of nearly the same amount, while people working in green marketing, public relations or the media were the worst paid at $58,000 a year.

According to the survey, workers based in the United States were the best paid, receiving salaries averaging $100,000, while workers in countries like Australia and New Zealand followed closely with $93,000. Workers in Asia earned the least, at $41,500.

Britain remained the "nucleus" of the green financial industry, according to the study. Many experts in emissions-trading set up shop in London after President George W. Bush affirmed in 2001 that the United States would not sign the Kyoto climate treaty.

Reuters said it carried out the survey with Acre Resources, a recruitment company, and with Acona, a consultancy. Reuters said it surveyed about 1,200 professionals who work in areas like renewable energy and emissions-trading.

News that the workers in the green sector are upbeat about their prospects, and prospects for others, comes despite a wave of layoffs in the financial sector and it comes as the United Nations Environment Program and New Energy Finance, a research company, warn that private investment stalled in late 2008.

Even so, investment by governments should "take up some of the slack in 2009," the U.N. and New Energy said, pointing out that sustainable energy investment has become a key part of government fiscal stimulus packages accounting for more than $180 billion in commitments so far.



-----------------------------------------------------------------

The more Green workers we can put to work, the greater chance we have in ending this economic slump!

Dennis Spisak

Mahoning Valley Green Party

Ohio Green Party

www.ohiogreens.org

www.votespisak.org/thinkgreen/