Green-collar worker
A sustainable green economy simultaneously values the importance of natural resources and inclusive, equitable, and healthy opportunities for all communities.
[11] In the context of the financial crisis of 2007–2008, many experts now argue that a massive push to develop renewable sources of energy could create millions of new jobs and help the economy recover while simultaneously improving the environment, increasing labour conditions in poor economies, and strengthening energy and food security.
[citation needed] Al Gore states that economists across the spectrum — including Martin Feldstein and Lawrence Summers — agree that large and rapid investments in a jobs-intensive infrastructure initiative is the best way to revive the economy in a quick and sustainable way.
[19] A report from the Center for American Progress concludes that a $100 billion federal investment in clean energy technologies over 2009 and 2010 would yield 2 million new U.S. jobs, cutting the unemployment rate by 1.3% and put the nation on a path toward a low-carbon economy.
[20] Global efforts to tackle climate change could result in millions of "green" jobs over the coming decades, according to a 2008 study prepared by the Worldwatch Institute with funding from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The report notes that most of today's jobs are in metropolitan areas, led by New York City; Washington, D.C.; Houston, Texas; and Los Angeles, California.
[23] These policies aim to develop innovations and optimizations for various power generation technologies, including thermoelectric, hydroelectric, solar, wind, biofuel, and nuclear.
Newly built or expanded coal power plants must build desulphurized facilities and reserve places for denitration.
Strengthen the paper making, brewing, chemical, textile and dyeing industry’s waste water and pollution management and technological innovation”.
[23] The Chinese government has also implemented measures to promote recycling pilot projects, achieve clean production, and reduce emissions with the Promotion of Clean Production Law, the Solid Waste Pollution Prevention Law, the Promotion of Recycling Law, Rules on Managing Daily Waste, Regulations on Recycling and Handling Electronic Products, as well issuing the Interim Provisions on Promoting Industrial Structure Adjustment, Opinions on Accelerating the Development of the Recycling Economy, Guiding Opinions on the Comprehensive Use of Resources during the Eleventh Five-Year Plan, the Notice of Energy Conservation and Emission Reductions, the Eleventh Five-Year Plan for National Environmental Protection, and Policies and Actions Addressing Climate Change, etc.
The plan proposed to develop large-scale high efficiency clean power generating facilities and equipment for environmental protection and the comprehensive use of resources.
[23] These projects include controlling sandstorms in Beijing and Tianjin, setting up environmental protection facilities in west region, control pollution in three rivers and lakes, recycle waste water, industrialize of recycled waste and treated water, engage in environmental pollution management in Beijing, and subsidize programs that benefit forest ecology.
First, the government has introduced tax policies that waives and reduces value-added tax (VAT) for enterprises that comprehensively use resources, that recycle and on-sell waste materials, that buy in waste and recycled products, that create clean energy, that produce environmental protection products, and that process waste-water.
In 2007, former SEPA, in cooperation with the China People’s Bank, and CBRC issued Opinions Regarding the Implementation of Environmental Policies and Regulations requiring the People’s Bank and CBRC to work with environmental agencies to guide financial institutions at all levels to introduce different credit policies for enterprises that are forbidden, have been shut down or have restrictions.
[23] These benefits include housing and transportation subsidies, health checks, social security, as well as unemployment and workplace injury insurance.
[23] But there are still notable hazards associated with green-collar jobs, particularly in power generation systems, such as blade ejection, tower collapse, overheating, the use of high voltage electricity, the use of rotating machinery, working at significant heights, the handling of heavy equipment, etc.
[25] Many workers in green energy-production jobs in China report that they belonged to labor unions, and that representatives were able to participate in companies’ management.
[23] Many recent efforts and developments in green-collar work in China have focused on the circular economy, recycling of waste materials, and eradication of high-waste and high-pollution industries.
[23] The transformation of some jobs that come with adopting green measures will pose a new challenge to workers who will need to update their skills.
[25] Although it is uncertain if the push for more green-collar work will be sufficient to combat the climate crisis, it begins to move in the right direction by reducing Greenhouse gas emissions caused by burning fossil fuels.
[36] In addition, fossil fuel waste causes global warming, which leads to increased deaths from hurricanes, flooding, and other weather events.
"Green collar" is used in the Metal Gear franchise to refer to members of the arms industry, mercenaries, and other individuals in the private sector involved in war and military activity, notably for profit.
