Nearly 700,000 green jobs created by 2030

The Local Government Association has said that nearly 700,000 new green jobs could be created by 2030 if councils are given a greater role in local job creation.

Local authority leaders believe that councils are key to facilitating a boom in the green economy, predicting up to 1.18 million new jobs being created in low carbon sectors by 2050 in England. Some of the largest increases in green and low carbon jobs are projected to be in the North East, Devon and Cornwall and Yorkshire and the Humber.

The LGA is calling for local government to lead on the coordination between all key partners, such as business, training providers, communities and services to ensure the green skills and employment targets are being met in local areas.

Council leaders are also calling on the government to include councils in the Green Jobs Taskforce recommendations, which will recognise the role that local government should be playing in green skills and employment.

Mayor Marvin Rees, Chair of the LGA’s City Regions Board said: “Beyond the promises and pledges from the international stage of COP26, it will be local governments in cities, towns and rural areas across the world that will be mobilising and driving the collective action required to address climate change.

“As these figures show, with the right tools and funding, councils can help drive a boom in the green economy as part of a just transition for jobs, which will be a huge boost to help the UK transition to Net Zero by 2050.

“The government has rightly outlined the need to prevent skills shortages during the net zero transition. To help meet national climate change targets and capitalise on the green jobs revolution potential, councils need to be given long-term funding, devolved powers and easier access to complex government funding pots to help realise national climate ambitions and ensure that communities are greener places to live for future generations.”