“Green” Job Market Thriving

With concerns over global warming climbing the corporate agenda, the number of climate change specific roles has near tripled in the past 12 months as business looks to cut its carbon footprint.

The “Green” job market is thriving despite lay-offs across the financial and property sectors caused by the global credit crunch. Acre Resources, a British-based recruiting company that also lists jobs in the US, said that in the environmental sector, or so-called “green collar” jobs including roles in renewable energy and corporate social responsibility, there has been a 20 percent growth in the last 12 months. According to Acre, big companies … have made very public pledges around their approach to green issues (and) despite pressures indicated by a looming recession, it is too late for most to renege on their environmental commitments.

In Britain at least, the average salary for a climate change professional in 2008 is $96,910 (49,000 pounds), up 14 percent from last year, while green collar wages climbed by around five percent to $67,250 (34,000 pounds), Acre said. Top-end green jobs now earn as much as $237,300 (120,000 pounds) annually. With oil prices hitting new records every day with no end in sight, many investors seem to be supporting the green agenda and safe renewable energy solutions are becoming more and more viable—the focus on reducing energy and carbon emissions appears ever-more essential for business.

as a safe option. Although wounded by the credit crisis, banks are pressing ahead with investments in booming renewable energy sector as a safe option. For example, investment bank Morgan Stanley just announced it has bought a minority stake $20 million in G24 Innovations, a solar energy company.

Source: Reuters