Circular economy a source of job creation and re-creation
An ILO high-level round-table in the European Parliament brought together important actors in social and environmental movements to discuss how to bring about a just transition.
The circular economy can be a source of job creation and job re-creation – that was the message from the European Commission at a recent ILO event on just transition at the European Parliament.
Hugo-Maria Schally, Head of Unit for Sustainable Production and Consumption in the European Commission’s DG Environment, was speaking on a panel with high-level representatives from the ILO and the European social partners.
According to Mr Schally, the repair, reuse and recycle mentality of the circular economy offers the opportunity to bring back professions and jobs that had disappeared in recent times. This would mean a departure from the convenience economy of the last few decades, where repair is not seen as economically interesting, and require policy initiatives that bring together economic, social and environmental narratives.
Mr Schally was accompanied on the panel by Montserrat Mir, Confederal Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, Rebekah Smith, Deputy Director of Business Europe, and Vic Van Vuuren, Director of the ILO’s Enterprises Department.
The round-table event, hosted by MEP Jean Lambert, aimed to assemble key actors in the employment and environmental fields to discuss how the EU and its Member States can create new green and decent jobs and achieve a just transition.
Panellists emphasized the importance of being clear and honest about the potential for job losses. This is also reflected in the ILO’s Guidelines for a Just Transition: during the transition jobs will be created and upgraded, but some jobs will be displaced or lost. To deal with these losses, a strong policy framework is necessary, to ensure that the transition is well-managed and disruption is minimal. Social dialogue can play an important role in this.
Regarding just transition on a global scale, ILO panellist Vic Van Vuuren praised the EU’s leadership on circular economy and raised the need to share best practices with partners around the world.
In response, Mr Schally said that the European Commission envisages further ‘circular economy missions’, i.e. meetings with social partners and stakeholders on circular economy practices in non-EU countries. Such new meetings with countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, would respond to the need to reach a critical mass of economies that engage for the circular economy to be a success.
Watch the event on Facebook live
Conference photos from the European Parliament
Hugo-Maria Schally, Head of Unit for Sustainable Production and Consumption in the European Commission’s DG Environment, was speaking on a panel with high-level representatives from the ILO and the European social partners.
According to Mr Schally, the repair, reuse and recycle mentality of the circular economy offers the opportunity to bring back professions and jobs that had disappeared in recent times. This would mean a departure from the convenience economy of the last few decades, where repair is not seen as economically interesting, and require policy initiatives that bring together economic, social and environmental narratives.
Mr Schally was accompanied on the panel by Montserrat Mir, Confederal Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, Rebekah Smith, Deputy Director of Business Europe, and Vic Van Vuuren, Director of the ILO’s Enterprises Department.
The round-table event, hosted by MEP Jean Lambert, aimed to assemble key actors in the employment and environmental fields to discuss how the EU and its Member States can create new green and decent jobs and achieve a just transition.
Panellists emphasized the importance of being clear and honest about the potential for job losses. This is also reflected in the ILO’s Guidelines for a Just Transition: during the transition jobs will be created and upgraded, but some jobs will be displaced or lost. To deal with these losses, a strong policy framework is necessary, to ensure that the transition is well-managed and disruption is minimal. Social dialogue can play an important role in this.
Regarding just transition on a global scale, ILO panellist Vic Van Vuuren praised the EU’s leadership on circular economy and raised the need to share best practices with partners around the world.
In response, Mr Schally said that the European Commission envisages further ‘circular economy missions’, i.e. meetings with social partners and stakeholders on circular economy practices in non-EU countries. Such new meetings with countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, would respond to the need to reach a critical mass of economies that engage for the circular economy to be a success.
Watch the event on Facebook live
Conference photos from the European Parliament