The Need for Green Jobs

In 2017, the American Society of Civil Engineers released a report titled Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, giving America a D+ in terms of the quality of national infrastructure. The 2013 ASCE report made the case for investment, saying that

“Capital investment needs for the nation’s wastewater and stormwater systems are estimated to total $298 billion over the next 20 years. Investing in infrastructure is critical for long-term economic growth, increasing the gross domestic product (GDP), employment, household income, and exports. The reverse is also true — without prioritizing our nation’s infrastructure needs, deteriorating conditions can become a drag on the economy and communities.”

On the specific issue of stormwater infrastructure investment, research released last month by the University of Vermont show that, understandably, the desire for investment in storm defences is likely to increase as more communities are hit by storms. The study’s co-author Christopher Koliba commented that:

“The research suggests that as extreme events like floods increase, more and more households will be interested in implementing stormwater management practices. We also hope it raises awareness about the role individual citizens can play in protecting our water resources—before a storm hits.”

The quote in the header comes from an article in The Root in 2013, when Ellis-Lamkins was the CEO of Green For All, an organisation with the goal of building “an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty”.

In the UK in 2008 the Green New Deal Group put forward the case for a green equivalent to 1920s America’s New Deal, investing in green energy and creating jobs.

All around the world there’s a lot of work to be done to protect our communities in a changing world as the climate breaks down. As an ecosocialist I’m skeptical about the possibility of corporations being far-sighted enough to make massive investments that may not pay off for decades, and think the state should intervene with a Green New Deal. Whoever makes the investment, creating green jobs is a win-win.