Promote green jobs: a major, essential lever for a successful transition towards a low-carbon economy.
The fight against climate change and the transition towards a low-carbon economy – a major challenge for competitiveness in the European economy on the world stage – will have significant consequences for our job markets. While new jobs will be created, others will be either lost or transformed.
The Ministerial conference organised by the Presidency and supported by the European Commission will be devoted to the topic of "green jobs" – essential factors in the transition towards a low-carbon economy and the driving force behind sustainable development. The conference will echo the huge amount of work performed by international institutions on this subject. It will pay special attention to sectorial experiences, to employment policy instruments, to the role of social partners and to the work of the Jobs Committee. Following the adoption of the EU2020 strategy and now that green jobs are included in employment guidelines, this conference will provide a chance for significant dialogue on the contribution of employment policies to intelligent, sustainable and inclusive growth. It will aim to bring out definitive ways forward to extend the "New Skills for New Jobs" initiative of the European Commission.
The introductory session on the first day of the conference will highlight the challenges faced by European economies and job markets due to climate change.
Three parallel sessions will then tackle the situation and the approach of three separate business sectors: construction, renewable energy and transport. Each case will focus on job prospects, training needs and the role of social dialogue.
We will then examine the ways to achieve a successful transition towards green jobs: how can we support workers coming away from disappearing jobs and how can they be steered towards the green job market; how can we encourage green sectors; what role can be played by social dialogue; how can we maintain quality of work in a green economy, etc.?
A session will then focus on the skills that will be necessary to fill the green jobs of tomorrow. The role of in-company training, public employment services will be tackled. Another session organised in parallel will look at the ways to "green" all jobs, making the place of work, working methods, travel between home and workplace, etc. more environmentally friendly.
Practical examples and international and European experiences will illustrate these various aspects and will be presented with academic and political presentations.
Through contributions by BIT, the OECD and the European Commission, during the second day we plan to examine how Europe can exercise a leading role in a low-carbon global economy and what would be the role of employment politicians in this regard.
Finally, a round table session will bring together Ministers, European social partners, environmental NGOs and MEPs to conclude the conference and provide political conclusions.
The detailed programme, photos and working documents for the event are available at www.werk.eutrio.be