Working in sustainable development is innovative process and with constant changes towards the new ideas and models. In the business logic of sustainable development we can find the Green Economy, term that is connected with green jobs and used often to describe the “sustainable” part (in terms of environmentally friendly) economy. Green jobs reduce the environmental impact of enterprises and economic sectors, ultimately to levels that are sustainable. We can define “green jobs” as work in agriculture, industry, services and administration that contributes to preserving or restoring the quality of the environment. But what is Green Economy?
The economic paradigm of greening the economy, against the background of multiple crises and accelerating resource scarcity, has gained paramount prominence in regional and international sustainable development processes. In 2009 the United Nations General Assembly, by its resolution A/64/236, decided to convene a United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012 and agreed that one of the main themes would be: “A green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication and the institutional framework for sustainable development” (Rio+20). Green economy is one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. (UNECE)
Green jobs are found in many sectors of the economy from energy supply to recycling and from agriculture and construction to transportation. They help to cut the consumption of energy, raw materials and water through high-efficiency strategies, to de-carbonize the economy and reduce greenhouse‑gas emissions, to minimize or avoid altogether all forms of waste and pollution, to protect and restore ecosystems and biodiversity.
UNEP defines a green economy as one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. In its simplest expression, a green economy can be thought of as one which is low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive. In a green economy, growth in income and employment should be driven by public and private investments that reduce carbon emissions and pollution, enhance energy and resource efficiency, and prevent the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. (UNDP, 2008)
We can say that Green Economy it is not a sector or sub-sector by itself but it is a sustainable part of existing economy. Some of the sectors have bigger potential to be sustainable than others, but we must to seek opportunities for green job in existing sectors that are transiting towards green economy. Therefore, at the end we can say that the transition of the conventional economy towards green economy is part of the real sustainable development, also including the social element of the development.
