The promise of a green economy, the idea of creating the dual benefit of jobs creation and environmental benefit, has been discussed and debated at length. On the one hand are those who see it as having the potential to be one of the great economic drivers of our time. On the other are those who argue that these jobs are elusive and difficult to quantify.
A new study by the Brookings Institution, "Sizing the Clean Economy: A National and Regional Green Jobs Assessment," seeks to address these concerns by presenting detailed employment statistics on the clean economy industries in the U.S. and its metropolitan areas.
Among the findings in the study:
- The clean economy, which employs some 2.7 million workers, encompasses a significant number of jobs in establishments spread across a diverse group of industries.
- The clean economy grew more slowly in aggregate than the national economy between 2003 and 2010, but newer "cleantech" segments produced explosive job gains and the clean economy outperformed the nation during the recession.
- The clean economy is manufacturing and export intensive.
- The clean economy offers more opportunities and better pay for low- and middle-skilled workers than the national economy as a whole.
- Among regions, the South has the largest number of clean economy jobs though the West has the largest share relative to its population.
- Most of the country's clean economy jobs and recent growth concentrate within the largest metropolitan areas.
- The clean economy permeates all of the nation's metropolitan areas, but it manifests itself in varied configurations.
- Strong industry clusters boost metros' growth performance in the clean economy.
Visit the Brookings Website for more information and to download the report. In addition to the report is an interactive indicator map which provides aggregate information on the clean economy for metropolitan areas, states and the nation.
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