Jobs in environmental protection at a record high

1.8 million in Germany employed in environmental protection sector

Four and a half percent of all jobs in Germany in 2006 were related to environmental protection, which means almost 1.8 million jobs and a new high.  In 2004 the figure was at 3.8 percent.  Three factors in particular account for this positive development: strong job growth in the renewable energies sector, a rise in exports of German environmental technologies, and additional jobs created in environmental-related services. ”Environmental and climate protection are not a dead end for labour policy; to the contrary, they are a means to more employment.  Environmental management in Germany has developed into a very dynamic key industry in the economy”, said Federal Minister for Environment Sigmar Gabriel in comments on these latest figures.
No. 42/2008

 

The estimates of the number of jobs in environmental protection result from a study commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Environment (BMU) and the Federal Environment Agency (UBA). Scientists at the German Institute for Economic Research, the Institute for Economic Research of Lower Saxony, and the ifo Institute for Economic Research evaluated the latest figures available on jobs in environmental protection. They also continued development of a method of calculation applied when comparing the figures to those of 2004.

”The significance of environmental protection to the economy and labour market will continue to increase, for all forecasts indicate that the global market for environmental protection goods and services will continue its dynamic development”, commented UBA President Professor Dr. Andreas Troge on the results.

The detailed study Beschäftigungswirkungen des Umweltschutzes für das Jahr 2006 [Impact of environmental protection on labour market - 2006] will be published in Summer 2008.

 

 

Umweltbundesamt Hauptsitz

Wörlitzer Platz 1
06844 Dessau-Roßlau
Germany

Share:
Article:
Printer-friendly version
Tags:
 Presse