Green economy supports more than a million UK workers

A new report published today has revealed that more than one million workers are now employed as part of the UK’s green economy, where earnings are 11% higher than the national average and they contribute a combined £105bn in Gross Value Added (GVA) to the UK economy. 

The report was commissioned by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) with analysis provided by the independent consultancy CBI Economics and The Data City.

Responding, Sandra Bell, climate campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:

“The numbers speak for themselves. At a time when our economy and jobs market are faltering, green industries are employing more than a million people in well-paid jobs while generating enormous economic benefits.

“The naysayers calling to dismantle climate action clearly don’t want what’s best for Britain or the millions of people struggling with the cost of living, otherwise they'd be pushing to reap these huge rewards. Instead, they’d prefer to keep us on the backfoot in the global race to building a thriving green economy and locked into dying industries.

“Our booming green economy is a beacon of hope. That's why investing in measures such as ramping up our production of cheap, clean homegrown renewable energy, supporting workers to reskill and retrain in zero-carbon industries and insulating our energy and heat-leaking homes are simply common sense - for our climate, for jobs and for our economy.”

ENDS