EESC opinion: Green jobs

EESC opinion: Green jobs

Key points

The EESC points out that it would be better to talk about greening jobs than green jobs.

The creation of greener jobs should be mainstreamed into all EU policies.

The Structural and Cohesion Funds, the European Social Fund and the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund can certainly contribute to the huge amount of funds needed.

The EESC believes that a new Marshall Plan is needed for the environment and social sustainability.

Managing the transition from the old to the new development model is certainly the biggest task, which will have to involve public authorities and the social partners at European, national and local level.

Adequate income support and retraining instruments should be developed in good time.

A stable regulatory framework, extensive involvement of civil society, huge-scale harnessing of capital and intellectual resources, support for research and development, clear programmes in the areas of support for transition, education and training to create a low-emissions society, support for policies for environmentally-friendly mobility within and outside towns, launch of a huge-scale plan for a sustainable economy with sufficient backing from European funds, the creation of factors for a new form of growth – these are the key pillars of a European initiative aiming to support and promote a sustainable economy and "green" jobs.