Jobs, jobs, jobs. The Net Zero Strategy published by the UK yesterday (19 October) set out its “world leading” ambition ahead of COP26, which starts in Glasgow at the end of next week. The report is littered with claims about how many jobs the move from a fossil fuel-based economy will create. The narrative is appealing, but in a country with a growing gig economy and around one million people on zero-hours contracts, the UK government will need to show it can deliver on its promise of “hundreds of thousands of new high skilled, high wage green jobs”.
“Our strategy for net zero is to lead the world in ending our contribution to climate change, while turning this mission into the greatest opportunity for jobs and prosperity for our country since the industrial revolution,” enthuses Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the foreword to the strategy, which contains 249 references to jobs in the 368-page document. By 2050, “everywhere you look, in every part of our United Kingdom, there will be jobs. Good jobs, green jobs, well-paid jobs, levelling up our country while squashing down our carbon emissions.”
Content from our partners
