The New Skills for Green Jobs Project: European context

This chapter provides an overview of the European Union context for skills and employment within the Europe 2020 Strategy, both to stimulate economic growth at a time of global recession and support the development of greener economies in Europe. It examines the nature of green jobs and occupations, and sets out the contribution that green skills and employment can make to achieve economic stability and promote the mitigation of climate change. It is important to ensure that the green economy does not act to disadvantage already marginalised groups, such as female workers who are poorly represented in green industries. The chapter also describes the New Skills for Green Jobs Project, which was funded by the EU PROGRESS initiative – specifically to link with the Europe 2020 Strategy. The 2012 project sought to promote an adequate skills base to support the transition towards a green economy by identifying and exchanging good practices across partner countries.