Green Jobs Programme of the ILO
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International Labour Office
Green Jobs Programme

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Further information:
Dorit Kemter
kemter@ilo.org

Green Jobs Programme of the ILO

A young employee of the Dar Es Salaam municipality cleans the streets. Dar Es Salaam women working in the agricultural sector Renewable energy Indigenous women
Green jobs and the promotion of the green economy are pivotal for achieving an economic and social development that is also environmentally sustainable. Increasingly, countries are developing policies and implementing strategies to reduce emissions, develop more efficient energy scenarios and improve waste management. A broader policy agenda for climate-resilient strategies and sustainable growth that also reduces poverty is emerging. Evidently, this has far reaching consequences for employment and the overall functioning of labour markets.

The ILO's Green Jobs Programme promotes a practical and coherent strategy that recognizes the strong interdependence between the need for social development and the urgency to act on climate change. The analysis and policy guidance provided by the Programme contribute to the promotion of a fair globalization and the development of sustainable enterprises and economies which are efficient, socially just and environmentally sound. The Programme contributes to regional and local initiatives by constituents for greening economies and provides a comprehensive knowledge base as well as tools for applying practical approaches. 

ILO's definition of green jobs

  1. Construction of a greenhouse

    Jobs are green when they help reduce negative environmental impact ultimately leading to environmentally, economically and socially sustainable enterprises and economies. More precisely green jobs are decent jobs that:

    • Reduce consumption of energy and raw materials
    • Limit greenhouse gas emissions
    • Minimize waste and pollution
    • Protect and restore ecosystems

Key resources

  1. Report

    Working towards sustainable development: Opportunities for decent work and social inclusion in a green economy
    2012

    This joint ILO/UNEP study shows that, if accompanied by the right policy mix, a green economy can also create more and better jobs, lift people out of poverty and promote social inclusion. It also demonstrates that employment and social inclusion must be an integral part of any sustainable development strategy.

  2. Practitioner's guide

    Assessing Green Jobs Potential in Developing Countries
    2011

    This guide provides practical solutions to help fill information gaps in the knowledge of how the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy will affect employment, especially underlying job movements.

  3. Background note

    Promoting Decent Work in a Green Economy
    2011

    ILO Background note to: "Towards a Green Economy: Pathways to Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication" UNEP 2011

  4. Technical brief

    The social and Decent Work dimensions of a new Agreement on Climate Change
    2010

    Highlights the close inter-linkages between climate change and the world of work and discusses entry points for promoting policy coherence between climate and social and labour policies.

  5. Report

    Green Jobs: Towards Decent Work in a Sustainable, Low-Carbon World
    2008

    The first comprehensive study on the emergence of a “green economy” and its impact on the world of work.

The mounting cost of energy-intensive production and consumption patterns is widely recognized. It is timely to move towards a high-employment, low-carbon economy. Green jobs hold the promise of a triple dividend: sustainable enterprises, poverty reduction and a job-centred economic recovery.

Juan Somavia, ILO Director-General
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