Will move to greener economy come with enough jobs for all? Cumbria offers some answers.
One of the primary concerns that the common people have about transition to a green economy is about job creation.
Would the new industries such a transition demand be able to generate enough jobs for everyone? This question has become even more important in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic that has left millions around the world newly jobless.
In this backdrop, a report about Cumbria offers hope.
The English county has been in the news for the wrong reason of late.
Despite England professing itself to be a world leader in its transition efforts to green-based economy, plans have been afoot to start a new coalmine in Cumbria. Making matters worse, the coal generated in the mine wouldn’t even go to the generation of electricity but instead would be used for the manufacture of steel- a carbon emitting manufacturing if ever there is one.
The estimated number of jobs the coalmine would produce is over 500.
Such statistics are especially important for Cumbria for the region has one of the worst poverty rates in all of England.(In some parts of the county, one in three children live below the line of poverty).
But a new study shows that if the authorities are savvy enough, green jobs in the county could number more than 9,000, making the number of jobs from the coalmine look like a mere spec on the wall.
The green jobs would come from making 90% of the buildings more energy efficient in the coming fifteen years. This would include equipping many of them with renewable energy sources.
There are seven councils in the county and all seven of them aim at achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2037- a lofty goal which wouldn’t be practicable if the county continues with projects like the currently proposed coalmine.
Much as the number of possible green jobs is heartening, creating that many jobs would also require billions of UK pounds in investment- a fact the report doesn’t shy away from.
The investment of such sums is deemed meaningful, not just because of the job-creation possibilities but also allied benefits. For instance, residents would need to spend less on air conditioning if local weather cools and a greener environment obviously has numerous health benefits.
Contrast that with the ill-health a coal mine could bring for people and the environment, and you may think that the case of a greener tomorrow is clear cut.
Yet, as is common in such situations, opposition to a greener plan is strong.
In this case, the opposition is put up by West Cumbria Mining, the company that’s proposed the coalmine. They have even threatened to sue the council if that’s what it takes to build the coalmine.
If the proposal goes ahead, England would see the construction of the first underground mine in the country in thirty years. The project, pitted at 165m UK pounds would generate 2.7m tons of coking coal per annum.
Out of that, 85% would be exported.
