In the light of the strong policy commitments at European level to the development of a sustainable and resource-efficient economy, in recent years Cedefop has been focusing on ‘green’ growth and its implications for skills and vocational education and training policies.
This report examines trends in employment, skill needs and training provision for a selected group of occupations likely to be affected by the development of a low-carbon and resource-efficient economy and makes policy recommendations that seek to ensure that businesses can take advantage of the opportunities presented by this transition and that the skill needs it generates are met.
Nine occupations were selected to provide a balanced mix of sectors and skill levels in the labour market:
(a) nanotechnologist, engineering technologist and environmental engineer as examples of high-skilled occupations;
(b) energy auditor, transport vehicle emissions inspector, insulation worker, electrician, solar photovoltaic installer and sheet-metal worker as examples of medium-skilled occupations;
(c) refuse/recycling collector as an example of a low-skilled occupation.
The importance of cities in climate policy stems from the simple reality that they house the majority of the world's population, two-thirds of world energy use and over 70% of global energy use emissions. At the international level, global carbon markets have become an important new source of financing for mitigation projects and programmes. Yet to date, the participation of urban authorities and of urban mitigation projects in the global carbon market remains extremely limited. The under-representation of urban carbon projects can be linked both to the difficulties to implement urban mitigation projects and to the difficulties for cities to access the carbon market.
In less than a decade, clean energy transitioned from novelty products to the mainstream of world energy markets. The sector emerged not so much in a linear fashion as episodic – in fits and starts associated with the worldwide economic downturn, continent-wide debt crises, national policy uncertainty, and intense industry competition. Through it all, however, the clean energy sector moved inexorably forward, with overall investment in 2012 five times greater than it was in 2004.
Although 2012 investment levels worldwide declined 11 per cent, to US$ 269 billion, the clean energy sector weathered the withdrawal of priority incentives and initiatives offered by governments in numerous key markets, demonstrating its resilience. Reliable clean energy investment data have been collected for nine years now. Looking at the data in three-year increments, average clean energy investment increased by at least US$ 90 billion triennially – from an average of US$ 64 billion in the 2004-06 period to an average of US$ 156 billion in 2007-09 and US$ 245 billion in 2010-12.
The transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient Europe is a key objective of the EU as set out in the Europe 2020 Strategy, related Roadmaps and other strategic documents. Some EU Member States have already started to take steps towards this transition with the adoption of supporting political decisions and implementation of related instruments. These efforts are welcome and should be further encouraged. However, there are also contradictory decisions being taken or delays that hinder or slow down progress. Overall, despite some positive steps in a number of policy areas, further efforts are needed to create stronger momentum towards a low-carbon, resource-efficient Europe. Consideration of resource efficiency related issues (including resource productivity, municipal waste management, environmental taxation, reform of environmentally harmful subsidies, water and air quality) within the European Semester process should also be strengthened.