A ‘green economy’ must be built on ‘green jobs’ - the kind of employment that is low carbon, intended to reduce energy use and expected to restore environmental quality. But attempts to define exactly what a ‘green job’ is have led to varied and often contradictory answers. There are many unresolved questions including whether we consider jobs in the nuclear fuel industry to be green jobs? Or is a worker at a glass making company which supplies the glass for the solar photovoltaic industry doing a green job given that glass making is a ‘dirty’ industry? This book deals with the relationship between "green" concepts (green jobs, green economy, green growth) and sustainable development. It examines to which extent creation of green jobs supports overall economic development as opposed to creation of elitist jobs and greenwashing. In order to do so, general conceptual frameworks for green jobs, green economy, green growth and green policy are presented as well as their implementation in ten countries selected among the Group of Twenty. The selection includes advanced (the European Union, the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Republic of Korea, Japan) and developing countries (Mexico, China, Turkey and Brazil). The analysis presented in this book shows that although green concept is well-intentioned, its implementation depends on local circumstances – economic, political and social. Developed countries perceive green growth as a way to create new markets and demand, while developing countries rely more on labor intensive growth and less expensive green jobs. Thus, greening the economy does not diminish differences between rich and poor. This book is suitable for those who study and work in Ecological Economics, Sustainable Development and Labor Economics.

In the past decade, the growing realization that biodiversity and human wellbeing are inextricably linked has led to the adoption of numerous environmental policies. The concept of the Green Economy has gained particular attention as an economic system where growth is possible within environmental limits. The preservation of ecosystem services and the halt of biodiversity loss are identified as key pillars of the Green Economy. Despite the concept’s momentum there is still no clear understanding of how biodiversity fits within a Green Economy. In the current debate, biodiversity is rarely acknowledged in economic sectors other than agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism, and when it is acknowledged biodiversity and its conservation feature more as buzzwords than as concrete and tangible components of the Green Economy. This book aims to identify, understand and offer pragmatic recommendations of how biodiversity conservation can become an agent of green economic development. This book establishes ways to assess biodiversity’s contributions to the economy and to meaningfully integrate biodiversity concerns in green-economy policies.

This report suggests that the role of skills and education and training policies should be an important component of the ecological transformation process.

Since the 1990’s, the countries of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA) have made great progress in pursuing economic development that is also environmentally sustainable. The countries, in collaboration with the GREEN Action Task Force hosted by the OECD, has developed a number of policies aiming to improve environmental quality and social well-being, while creating opportunities for strong economic growth and decent jobs in the region.

This open access book is based on the research outputs of China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) in 2020. It covers major topics of Chinese and international attention regarding green development, such as climate, biodiversity, ocean, BRI, urbanization, sustainable production and consumption, technology, finance, value chain, and so on. It also looks at the progress of China's environmental and development policies,and the impacts from CCICED. This is a highly informative and carefully presented book, providing insight for policy makers in environmental issues.

The European Union in the 21st Century takes a fresh look at a complex and ever-changing organization by examining its pursuit of two very different objectives: power (security and political weight) and plenty (economic growth and social welfare). Nikolaos Zahariadis aims to help students understand these two objectives and how the tension between them affects different issue areas, illuminating how each objective represents a different perspective on what the EU is and what it does. The book also introduces students to the systematic thinking that political scientists employ to see the connections between policies, institutions, and actors. By unpacking the various perspectives, students will gain greater insight into how policymakers think and why EU leaders make the kinds of decisions they do.